CSS Care Ltd

Updated 17 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

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.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. The registered manager was also the nominated individual for the service. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. The registered manager 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 the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 2 March 2022 and ended on 3 March 2022. We visited the location’s office on 3 March 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We used information gathered as part of a monitoring activity that took place on 14 February 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, two care staff, four people using the service and three family members. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care records, a sample of medication records and three staff recruitment records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to confirm evidence found. We looked at records sent to us after the inspection.

Updated 17 March 2022

About the service

CSS Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, there were 14 people using the service which included nine people receiving personal care.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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 told us they felt safe and were happy with the care and support they received. They told us their care was delivered by a caring and consistent team of staff and they received their care on time and in a flexible way. Staff confirmed they had enough time to complete their visits without rushing. Recruitment processes ensured new staff were suitable. Management and staff understood how to protect people from abuse. People’s medicines were managed safely, and records were clear. Risks to people’s health and welfare had been assessed. However, the records were difficult to follow and did not provide staff with sufficient guidance. The registered manager was carrying out a full review of these records. Staff followed safe infection prevention and control practices. We discussed how the recording of staff COVID test results could be improved to ensure consistency and oversight.

Staff provided people with support which reflected their needs and risks. 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 received the induction, support and training they needed to support people well. Staff were aware of people’s dietary and healthcare needs and provided appropriate support in line with the care plan.

People liked and trusted the staff who supported them. Staff were described as amazing, caring, considerate and friendly. People appreciated their staff team and good friendships had developed. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and people’s right to confidentiality was respected. Staff treated people as individuals and supported them in a way which reflected their needs and preferences. However, the care records were not always reflective of the support being given. The registered manager was currently reviewing all care records to ensure they were personalised. Staff knew people well and knew their likes, dislikes and what was important to them. Staff reviewed people's care needs regularly and involved them in decision making. Concerns and complaints were managed appropriately.

The registered manager and staff were clear about their responsibilities. They prioritised providing people with personalised, good quality care which met their needs. The registered manager was aware of where improvements were needed and there was a management plan to support this. People’s views about the service were sought and listened to; we discussed sharing the outcome and actions taken with people. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and supportive. People using the service told us the registered manager went above and beyond. The registered manager completed regular checks to ensure appropriate standards of quality and safety were being maintained at the service.

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 12 May 2021, and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

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