Always Take Care Limited

Updated 20 June 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

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. Our expert by experience had previous knowledge and experience of physical and sensory impairments.

Service and service type:

Always Take Care is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides care to people in their own homes. At the time of our visit there were 38 people using the service.

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 the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small, and the manager is often out of the office. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was carried out on the 23 May 2019 by visiting the office location to meet with the registered manager and review records, policies and procedures. Our expert by experience made telephone calls to people using the service on the 23 May 2019.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the service, including information within the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at other information received from the provider, such as statutory notifications about events the provider must notify us about. We also contacted the local authority.

During our inspection we spoke with three people using the service, three relatives, two care staff and the registered manager. We reviewed the care records for three people using the service, and other records relating to the management oversight of the service. These included three staff recruitment files, staff training and supervision records, policies and procedures, surveys and feedback from people and quality assurance audits.

Updated 20 June 2019

About the service: Always Take Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of inspection, 38 people were receiving personal care from the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

People felt safe using the service and systems were in place to protect people from abuse and neglect.

People’s needs were assessed, and they received their care as planned with preferences for certain staff to meet their needs mostly met. The service had arrangements in place so there was always enough staff to provide timely support.

People were always treated with kindness and dignity. People trusted the staff that cared for them.

Staff were recruited safely and trained to meet people’s needs effectively. People’s care plans were person centred. People and their relatives were involved in designing and reviewing their care and support.

The service took account of risks to people, managed them well and supported people to be independent.

People had faith in the service. Managers and staff listened to them and no complaints about the quality of service had been received.

People were protected by the prevention and control of infection and their medicines were managed safely. People were supported to eat and drink and when required, this was monitored.

Staff were regularly supervised and felt supported by the registered manager.

Staff worked well together, and they shared information when necessary and people’s confidentiality was respected.

Systems were in place to continuously monitor the quality of the service.

The service met the characteristics for a rating of “good” in all five of the key questions. Therefore, our overall rating for the service after this inspection was “good”.

Rating at last inspection: GOOD (Report published 08 November 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

Follow up: Going forward we will continue to monitor this service and plan to inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for those services rated good.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk