Kent Case Management Ltd

Updated 18 March 2022

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a care at home service. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the service registered. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation. Inspection activity started on 28 February and ended on the 1 March 2022.

We spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with two members of staff including the registered manager.

We reviewed three people's care and risk assessment records. We reviewed staff training documentation. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We requested feedback from a further 12 professionals who work with the service. Four of them responded, their comments are included in the report.

Updated 18 March 2022

About the service

Barham Court is a care at home service which provides personal care and support to children, younger adults and older adults, with complex health needs, including those associated with brain injury. At the time of inspection, the service was providing support to seven people, three of which was with personal care. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People felt safe using the service and staff understood what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe. People had risks associated with their health and wellbeing, assessed and managed to ensure they received personal care and support safely. Staff administered people's medicines safely and prevented people from the risk of cross infection. A health professional said, “My experience has been that they treat individuals with respect and care, leading person-centred care as well as sensitive, prompt and efficient management of safeguarding and risk issues.” The service worked in partnership with people, relatives and other agencies to support people's good health and well-being and provide consistent care.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were trained and their competency was checked by the management team following an induction into the role to ensure staff had the skills to do their job well and effectively meet people's needs. A relative said, “All courses are done and kept up to date by staff. On certain courses like Epilepsy and First Aid, we all go together with [person], myself and the staff. This way we all are benefit from the training.”

People received a service which was personalised and met their individual needs and preferences. People were involved in decisions about their care and people and relatives were communicated with effectively. A relative said, “[Person] is treated like a young adult by staff and their preferences are always taken into account.”

People and relatives told us they had support from regular staff who were kind, understood their needs and were competent in providing personalised care. A person said, “They (staff) are very kind and willing to help me.” A relative said, “I have no fears or dreads with the support workers. They know [person] inside out and I trust them implicitly. They are not just support workers, they are part of our family.”

People and their relatives spoke highly of the service and had opportunities to provide feedback and action was taken to address issues which were raised. A person said, “I have no complaints but know how to do that. I wouldn’t be worried.” Systems were in place to assess and monitor the quality and delivery of care to people. The registered manager was committed to providing good care to support people to achieve the best possible outcomes.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: The support provided by staff focused on ensuring people had choice, control and were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

Right care: People were treated as individuals and the support provided by staff promoted their privacy, dignity and human rights.

Right culture: The registered manager, and support staff, all displayed values which prioritised supporting people to live confident, inclusive and empowered lives. A relative said, “I absolutely would recommend the service. They are a good team, small, but competent.” A staff member said, “We are all happy. It’s a great place to work. To grow, learn, we never stop learning and developing. We can be so innovative for people, its limitless. We work with so many different professionals, for the greater good of our people we support, they are amazing and we are always learning from them.”

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 30 December 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the service's date of registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.