Background to this inspection
Updated
11 January 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 23 November, 25 November and 1 December 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure someone would be in.
The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the home. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally required to let us know about. We also viewed the recent inspection report from the local authority commissioners of the home.
The provider completed a provider information return (PIR) prior to the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We spoke with 11 people who used the service. We also spoke with the registered manager, the scheme manager, two senior care workers and three care workers. We looked at a range of records which included the care records for four people, medicines records for four people and recruitment records for five care workers.
Updated
11 January 2017
The inspection took place on 23 November 2016, 25 November 2016 and 1 December 2016. This was an announced inspection. We last inspected the service on 30 June 2015, 2 July 2015 and 3 July 2015. We found the provider had breached the regulation relating to medicines management and the service was rated 'requires improvement'.
Comfort Call Hartlepool is a domiciliary care service, which provides support with shopping, domestic tasks and personal care to people living in four extra care schemes in Hartlepool. At the time of this inspection 78 people were using the service.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
We found the provider had breached Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was because the registered provider did not have effective systems in place to identify and investigate medicines errors in a timely manner. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
The quality of medicines records had improved since the last inspection. However, we still found there were some gaps in medicines records.
People told us they were very happy with their care and they were treated with respect by kind and considerate care workers.
Care workers had a good understanding of safeguarding adults and the provider’s whistle blowing procedure. They knew how to identify and report concerns to help keep people safe. Care workers confirmed they had the confidence to raise concerns if they had any. Previous safeguarding concerns had been dealt with correctly.
A range of risk assessments had been carried out and measures identified to minimise the risk of people being harmed.
People received timely support from a consistent and reliable team of care workers. Effective recruitment checks were in place to ensure new care workers were suitable to work with the people using the service.
Plans were in place to deal with emergency situations. Incidents and accidents were investigated and action taken to help keep people safe.
Care workers received good support in order to carry out their caring role. Records confirmed supervision, appraisals and training were up to date.
Care workers had completed training on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). People told us care workers asked them for permission before providing support.
Care workers supported people with their nutritional needs. This included preparing meals for people in line with their preferences.
Care workers supported people to attend health care appointments when required.
People gave us examples of how care workers willingly responded to their requests for assistance.
People’s needs had been assessed and personalised care plans had been written. These included clear guidance for care workers about the support people needed at each care visit. People confirmed they had seen their care plans.
The provider had received positive feedback about the service when they last consulted people in May 2016. People said they were satisfied with their care and confirmed they were treated with dignity and respect.
People said they knew how to complain but did not have any concerns about their care. Previous complaints had been fully investigated and action taken to resolve the issues.
People and care workers told us the registered manager and other senior care staff were approachable.
Care workers had opportunities to meet to share their views and suggestions about the care people received.