Alef Care Ltd

Updated 19 November 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 team consisted of one inspector and one Expert by Experience who spoke with people on the telephone. 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.

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 notice of the inspection. We needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also needed to arrange to speak with people over the telephone.

Inspection activity started on 25 October 2022 and ended on the 3 November 2022. We visited the office location on the 25 October 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used 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

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager and the care co-ordinator. We reviewed a range of records including two care plans and three staff files in relation to recruitment. Various policies and procedures, audits and the rostering computer system.

The Expert by Experience made phone calls to twelve people and managed to gain feedback from three people.

Following the inspection, we made calls to four care staff and managed to gain feedback from two.

Updated 19 November 2022

About the service

Alef Care Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support to people who live in their own home. At the time of the inspection there were 12 people who were receiving personal care.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people received 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 were supported by staff who had received satisfactory checks however these checks were not always in place prior to the member of staff starting their training or induction. No completed risk assessment had been conducted to identify the risks or measures being taken to keep people safe. Following our inspection the registered manager confirmed staff would have a completed risk assessment prior to starting their employment should all checks not have been completed.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. Staff felt supported and happy working for the service. People’s care plans contained important information relating to people’s life histories, health and likes and dislikes. The registered manager prompted a positive culture and people were supported by staff who knew them well.

People were supported by staff who received training, supervision and an appraisal. People were supported by staff who gave them choice and who promoted their dignity and respect. Staff had access to plenty of personal protective equipment although one person required staff to wear a clear face mask to aid communication. Relatives felt able to raise complaints and where people had raised concerns records confirmed actions taken including any outcome.

People’s care plans contained important information relating to people’s capacity and any individual medical conditions. Staff encouraged people to make decisions about their daily care and support needs. Quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the service and identify areas for improvement.

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 4 October 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations and to provide a rating for the service.

Follow up

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

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk