Background to this inspection
Updated
21 April 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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 30 March 2022 and ended on 04 April 2022. We visited the office location on 30 March 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registering. 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. This information helps support our inspections. We contacted the local authority and safeguarding authority. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service and two other peoples' relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, HR manager and care staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed, including training records, monitoring records, compliments and complaints and various policies and procedures.
After the inspection
We reviewed information relating to training, care visit records and incidents we asked the provider to send us.
Updated
21 April 2022
About the service
Optimum Care (South) Ltd is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The service supports older people some of who were living with dementia, mental health needs, people with a physical disability and people with a sensory impairment. At the time of the inspection, 11 people were using the service. Seven people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive 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 felt safe with the care provided to them. Risks to people's health and safety were assessed and staff knew how to support people to keep them safe. Enough skilled and suitable staff had been recruited. People were supported by a consistent staff team who they felt comfortable with.
People received their medicines as prescribed and were cared for by staff who ensured they followed infection prevention guidance and good practise. The service and its staff team took on board learning when things went wrong. This prompted a review of people's care needs to reduce the risk of any recurrences.
People said staff had the skills necessary to care for them well. Staff had received the required training and ongoing support to help them maintain and improve their care skills to fulfil their role and responsibilities.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People said staff were caring and knew their needs and preferences well. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and they encouraged and promoted people's independence. Complaints were resolved through the provider’s complaints process. There policies and procedures in place should people require end of life care.
People said they were involved when reviewing their care and felt staff were responsive to their changing needs. The provider was open and transparent and promoted a person-centred culture within the service. People, their relatives and staff thought the service was well managed and responsive to their needs. The provider worked well with other organisations, to provide people with joined up care
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 5 November 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the management of the service, staffing, risk management and infection prevention and control practises. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the Safe, Effective and Well-led question sections of this full report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.