Optimum Care Ltd

Updated 10 January 2025

Date of inspection: 05 February to 08 April 2025. This service is a homecare service providing personal care to adults of all ages, people with dementia, mental health conditions, a physical disability and a sensory impairment. At the time of the inspection 9 people were receiving personal care support.

This inspection was carried out to follow up on the previous CQC inspection and breaches of regulation. The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safeguarding; safe care and treatment; good governance and notifications of incidents providers are legally obliged to notify us of. Improvements were found at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations. There was no registered manager in place during this inspection, but the manager of the service had applied to the CQC to become the registered manager.

The provider had learnt lessons from the previous inspection, and we found the provider and leadership team had made the improvements required. People’s care plans and risk assessments contained more detailed and person-centred information. This guided staff on how to monitor people’s known risk and support them safely and effectively. Staff completed training and had spot checks to review their competencies to deliver safe care and support. Staff had training to embed their understanding of the importance of raising concerns of abuse and or poor care. Staff listened to and respected people’s choices.

People were safely supported by staff with their medicine administration. Staff involved people and their relatives or representative in decisions and reviews of care. People had access to external health care professionals to try to promote their well-being. Staff understood the importance of respecting people’s choice and understood how to obtain consent. Feedback was sought from people and their relatives / representatives on the care provided. The leadership team supported their staff team to have a good work life balance and staff told us they enjoyed working at the service. Improvements had been made to the quality monitoring of the service and the provider and leadership team had a better oversight of the care provided.

Updated 10 January 2025

Although the majority of the feedback we received was very positive 1 person told us their experience did not reflect this. Most people confirmed staff promoted their dignity and respected their choices and were supported with person-centred care by a consistent staff team that knew them well. There were enough skilled staff. A relative said, “The (staff) appear fully trained.” People and their relatives confirmed to us that staff’s timekeeping was good. Most people told us staff were kind. A person told us, “They are always lovely.” People and or their relatives told us they participated in the setting up of reviews and care and support needs. People had access to external health professionals to promote and maintain their well-being. We were told by a relative how staff helped promote and maintain their family members independence where possible.

People who were supported by staff with their medicines, had mixed opinions about how they were supported. The management team were open to our feedback around this and were able to give us explanations.

Most people and their relatives said they felt listened to by leaders and their suggestions and concerns were acted upon. Relatives said they were, “Very happy…Whenever we’ve needed anything (the service) has always been there,” And, “The quality of care is just excellent at all times.”