Archived: Acorn Homecare

Updated 12 March 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and one 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, in this case services for older people.

Service and service type:

The service is a home care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to adults with a range of care needs.

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:

We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service to people who may be out during the day. We needed to be sure that they would be available to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 23 January 2019 with telephone calls to people who used the service. We visited the office on 24 January 2019 to see the registered manager and staff, and to see care records, policies and procedures.

What we did:

Before the inspection we looked at information we held about the service:

Due to technical problems the provider was not able to complete a Provider Information Return. 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 judgement into account when we inspected the service and made judgements in this report.

The law requires providers to notify us of certain events that happen during the running of a service. We reviewed notifications received since the last inspection. We reviewed the previous inspection report and the providers website.

During the inspection:

• We spoke with eight people who used the service and four family members by telephone.

• We spoke with the registered manager, the manager, the deputy manager and two staff members.

• We looked at the care records of five people.

• We looked at five staff records, including training and recruitment records.

• We looked at other records to do with the management of the service.

Updated 12 March 2019

About the service:

Acorn Homecare is a home care service. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 91 people in their own home. People supported included older people, younger people and people living with dementia.

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

People’s experience using the service:

• People received a service that was safe. The provider had systems and processes in place to manage medicines safely and protect people from the risk of harm and abuse.

• People received care and support from staff who were trained sufficiently and had the right skills and knowledge. People’s care and support led to good outcomes.

• Care workers had developed good relationships with people they supported. They respected people’s dignity and privacy, and promoted their independence.

• People’s care and support met their needs and reflected their preferences.

• Management processes were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. There was a positive, open and empowering culture.

Rating at last inspection:

• At the last inspection the service was rated Good (15 November 2016).

Why we inspected:

• This was a planned inspection to check that this service remained Good.

Follow up:

• We did not identify any concerns at this inspection. We will therefore re-inspect this service within our published timeframe for services rated good. We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.