Background to this inspection
Updated
10 June 2022
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 72 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 13 May 2022 and ended on 18 May 2022. We visited the location’s office on 13 May 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since their registration. 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 activity
We spoke with two people using the service, four relatives, the registered manager and five care staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including staff training, policies and procedures were also reviewed.
Updated
10 June 2022
About the service
Gracious Healthcare is a care agency registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 21 people using the service.
Not everyone who uses this type of service would receive 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
The provider's oversight of the service had not identified some improvement was required in their risk assessments for people using paraffin based creams, protocols for ‘as required’ medicines and consistency with some information written in people’s care plans. These were actioned immediately at the time of the inspection and information submitted to us to evidence the changes had been made.
People and their relatives told us they felt the service was safe and met their identified needs. People were protected from abuse because systems were in place to keep people safe from risk of avoidable harm. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to keep people safe from abuse. Risks had been assessed with enough staff members available to support people safely. People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff followed infection control guidance and had access to personal protective equipment. There were processes in place to investigate complaints or incidents to reduce risk of reoccurrences.
People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them and persons close to them and risk assessments were regularly reviewed and updated. Staff received induction training. People were supported by trained staff who were knowledgeable about people’s individual needs and had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. Staff sought people's consent and encouraged people to make their own decisions. Where appropriate, staff supported people safely with nutritional and hydration needs.
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.
People were supported by kind and caring staff who knew people well. People's individual needs were respected and staff supported people with dignity and respect.
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 08 July 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This is a newly registered provider and we needed to inspect and rate the service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.