Background to this inspection
Updated
11 March 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
This inspection was carried 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.
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
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ 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.
Inspection activity started on 9 February 2022 and ended on 15 February 2022. We visited the location’s office/service on 9 February 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 who work with the service.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke by telephone with one person and three relatives of people who use the service. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and three care staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included the care records of four people and their
medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff development and support. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training and quality assurance records.
Updated
11 March 2022
About the service
Karva Care Services Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care people in their own home. At the time of the inspection, 8 people were receiving support from the service.
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 and their relatives told us they received care and support from staff who were kind and competent in their role. They told us they felt safe when being supported and staff treated them with dignity and respect.
Staff had access to people’s care plans and details of their support requirements on the provider’s digital care management software system. They recorded their visit times and how they had supported people on the system.
Some relatives raised concerns about the variable times of people’s care calls which was discussed with the registered manager. They provided some explanation of the delays for example due to traffic. However, the registered manager had not used their own quality assurance system to appraise the punctuality of staff and to identify if staff rotas needed to be amended to ensure people received their care on time. The registered manager recognised that they needed to further develop their systems to monitor staff observations to ensure their records demonstrated their assessments staff practices.
We have made a recommendation about the provider’s recording of their quality monitoring systems and the management of people’s medicines on their digital care management software system
People received care and support which was personalised and met people’s needs. The registered manger had a good insight into people’s care delivery and staff care practices as they frequently delivered care to people and worked along staff.
The registered manager valued people’s feedback and told us they would respond promptly to any complaints in line with the provider’s policies.
People were supported by staff who had been trained and supported to carry out their role. They were recruiting with the aim to expand the service.
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.
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 22 February 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This service had not been inspected since their registration; therefore, this inspection was carried out to gain assurances about the quality of care and systems used to monitor and manage the service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.