Archived: Tydemans Homecare

Updated 22 May 2018

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 was a comprehensive inspection. The inspection took place on 3 May and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector 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.

Before the inspection we reviewed other information we held about the service, including previous inspection reports and notifications sent to us by the provider. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us. We also looked at information in the Provider Information Return (PIR). 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.

During the inspection we spoke with two people using the service, six relatives of people, three members of staff and the registered manager. We reviewed three people's care and support records and three staff files. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as incident and accident records, meeting minutes, recruitment and training records, policies, audits and complaints.

Updated 22 May 2018

Tydeman’s Homecare is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to people living in their own flats and houses. Not everyone using Tydeman’s Homecare receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks relating to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was a registered manager in post who was also the registered provider. 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.

People said they felt safe. Comments included “I feel safe because I know someone is coming every morning.” Risks to people were assessed and care plans guided staff how to reduce the risks of harm to people whilst maximising their independence. Medicines were managed safely. Safe recruitment practices were followed.

People’s needs were assessed and regularly reviewed. Staff were trained to undertake their roles. Staff said they felt well supported. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People and their relatives gave consistently positive feedback about staff. They said “I couldn’t ask for better staff; they are friendly, polite, professional, and nothing is too much trouble.”

Care plans were person centred. People were involved in regular care plan reviews. The service was responsive to people’s needs. One person said, “Sometimes [relative] goes to another family member’s house to stay to give me a break. Tydeman’s transfers the care to that house so [relative] gets exactly the same help. It is brilliant. It makes such a difference to get that support so [relative] is happy and well cared for, and I get a break safe in the knowledge that [relative] is looked after there.”

There was a positive culture that was embedded within the day to day running of the service. Staff spoke highly of the support they received from the registered manager and the deputy. There were robust quality assurance systems in place. The service had good links with the local community. People said the office was easily accessible because of its location. Comments included “It is lovely because it’s local and I can drop in the office. [Staff members] are always friendly and helpful.”

Further information is in the detailed findings below