Background to this inspection
Updated
15 November 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 checked 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 24 October 2017 and was announced.The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to ensure that someone would be available. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.
Before the inspection we reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR) that the registered manager submitted. The PIR 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 also reviewed the action plan that the registered manager submitted to us in response to our previous inspection. We used this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.
During the inspection we spoke with three people who received care and support from the agency by telephone and two relatives. We also spoke with the registered manager and with two care workers. In addition to this, we contacted two health and social care professionals to obtain their views of the agency.
Whilst at the agency office we reviewed a range of records. These included care records for three people and other records relating to the management of the domiciliary care agency. These included two staff training, support and employment records and policies and procedures.
Updated
15 November 2017
The inspection was announced and took place on 24 October 2017.
Allen Auxiliary Limited is a small domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to adults living in their own homes who live in an area of Chichester, West Sussex. People who receive a service include those living with frailty or memory loss due to the progression of age, mobility needs and health conditions.
At the time of this inspection the agency was providing a service to 10 people, nine of who received personal care. Visits ranged from half an hour to over one hour. The frequency of visits range from one visit per week to four visits per day depending on people’s individual needs.
During our inspection the registered manager was present. The registered manager is also the owner of the agency. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 previously inspected the service in May 2015 when it was rated ‘Good’ overall and in all domains apart from the ‘Well Led’ domain which was rated as ‘Requires Improvement.’ One breach of regulation was made for incomplete records. In response to this the provider sent us an action plan that detailed the steps that would be taken to achieve compliance. At this inspection we found that steps had been taken by the registered manager and that the breach of regulation was met.
Since our last in May 2015 steps had been taken to ensure records were accurate and up to date. In addition to people now having personalised care plans other documentation had also been reviewed and expanded to ensure it could be used to monitor the quality of service provided to people. This included the expansion of home visit audit forms and questionnaires sent to people to obtain their views.
As at our previous inspection, everyone that we spoke with praised the registered manager, care workers who visited them and expressed satisfaction with the service they received. There was a positive culture at the agency that was open, inclusive and empowering. People said that they were aware who to speak to in order to raise concerns. The agency had a complaints procedure in place to respond to people’s concerns and to drive improvement.
People told us that they felt safe with the care workers who supported them. Care workers received training and were knowledgeable in recognising signs of potential abuse and the relevant reporting procedures. Recruitment checks were completed to ensure care workers were safe to support people.
People said that they received care visits at the agreed times and that care workers always stayed for the full allocated time. Care workers also said that they had sufficient time to care for people safely.
Safe medicine systems were in place. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and action taken to reduce any harm to people. Care workers understood the procedures that should be followed in the event of an emergency or if a person was to have an accident or to fall.
People said that the registered manager and care workers had the appropriate skills to meet their needs and that they provided effective care. Both the registered manager and the care workers were knowledgeable about the people they supported. Care workers received support and training that equipped them with the skills and knowledge needed to care for people.
People were happy with the support they received to eat and drink and to manage any health needs they had. Care workers were provided with information before they started to care for people and were kept informed when people’s needs changed.
Both the registered manager and care workers understood people’s rights to be involved in decisions about their care and were able to explain what consent to care meant in practice. People were supported to express their views and to be involved in making decisions about their care and support.
People said that they were treated with kindness and respect by the care workers who supported them. People’s privacy and dignity was promoted. The registered manager and care workers understood the importance of building trusting relationships with people and went out of their way to do this.