Eastdale Healthcare

Updated 27 October 2022

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 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 homes.

Registered manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service two days 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. We also gave time for the registered manager to send us inspection information, so we did not have to spend an extended amount of time in the office of the service.

Inspection activity started on 13 September 2022 and ended 14 September 2022. We visited the office location on 13 September 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service and we sought feedback from the local authority. 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service about their experience of the care provided and two relatives. We spoke with two care staff, the registered manager and the care coordinator. We reviewed a range of records. This included three care plans. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 27 October 2022

Eastdale Healthcare is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of inspection, five people were using the service. 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.

Details of how to reduce risks to people's safety were included in people's care plans, though some needed to be more detailed to ensure staff fully met people’s needs.

Quality assurance systems were in place to try to ensure people were provided with a quality service. However, they were not always effective in identifying issues such as the lack of detail in risk assessments to keep people safe, and not all staff wearing a mask to protect people from catching an infection.

People and their relatives were satisfied with the care that staff provided and with the management of the agency. People and relatives said safe care was provided, with people protected against abuse, neglect and discrimination.

Safe recruitment practices were largely in place to ensure only suitable staff worked at the service, though the registered manager needed to obtain one outstanding staff reference. Enough staff were employed to meet people's needs and timely calls were mostly in place to provide personal care. Two people did not have set call times. This was rectified by the registered manager.

Staff had been trained to effectively meet people's needs. People were supported to have their food choices and enough fluids to remain hydrated. Staff were aware of how to ensure medical support was provided to people if this was needed.

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 and relatives told us they were treated with respect and dignity and staff had a caring and friendly approach to them. They said they had very good relationships with staff. Staff respected people's privacy and encouraged them to maintain their independence and do as much for themselves as they wanted to.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities and worked in an open and transparent way. People and relatives were aware of how to approach the registered manager to raise concerns or complaints. They said the registered manager and care coordinator always listened to their views.

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 17 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.