Background to this inspection
Updated
27 November 2019
The inspection
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
The inspection team consisted of four inspectors, an assistant inspector and two Experts 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave a short period notice of the inspection because it is a large service and we needed to make sure the registered manager and staff would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 3rd October 2019 and finished on 4th October 2019. We visited the office location on 3rd October to meet with the registered manager and review care records and policies and procedures. We made telephone calls to people using the service and their relatives on 3rd and 4th October 2019 to gather feedback about the service.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we looked at information, we held about the service including; previous inspection reports, details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as serious injury and safeguarding alerts. We also reviewed the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection
We spoke with 23 people using the service and 20 relatives to ask about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including the registered manager, care workers and medication officers.
To gather information, we looked at a variety of records, including care records relating to 17 people using the service and six staff files. To ensure the provider and registered manager had oversight of the service we also looked at other information relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We contacted four professionals who worked with the service.
Updated
27 November 2019
About the service
John Stanley, Thurrock is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides a range of services, including personal care, medication support and meal preparation to both younger and older adults’ enabling them to remain as independent as possible whilst living in their own home.
Not everyone using the service received a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; this is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection, 280 people using the service received the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service continued to place the care needs of people at the centre of its values. People, relatives and professionals consistently described staff and the service as exceptionally compassionate and kind. Staff were encouraged to provide holistic care. They worked closely with people to put together a care plan that was person centred and achieved their desired outcomes. Staff knew people exceptionally well and expressed commitment to ensuring people received high-quality care. People were encouraged to maintain, and where possible, enhance their independence. We heard excellent examples of how staff had gone out of their way to provide care that enriched the lives of people using the service. Everyone we spoke with told us they would happily recommend the service to others.
People had confidence in the staff and felt safe in their care. Staff were well supported by the provider and had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. 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.
Medicines were managed safely. There was an open and transparent culture in relation to accidents and incidents and they were used as opportunities to learn and lessen risks.
The service was proactive in its response to concerns or complaints and people and relatives were given the opportunity to feedback their experiences.
The service was well led, and staff felt valued and well supported by the registered manager and the provider. There was an open and transparent culture which empowered people and staff to voice their opinions and focused on continuous improvement. Without exception, people and relatives told us the service was well-managed.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 13 September 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.