Updated 5 March 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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 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 unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 3 February and ended on 9 February 2022. We visited the office location on 3 and 8 February 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. We sought feedback from the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams, care professionals who worked with the service and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.
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 of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with five people who used the service and four relatives/partners about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and communicated with all staff working for the organisation to gather their views. We contacted nine care managers/social workers and one occupational therapist. All responses were used to support the inspection process.
We reviewed a range of records. This included 10 people’s electronic care records and medication records. We looked at seven staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff support. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.