Guardian Homecare (Blackpool)

Updated 18 July 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.

Guardian Homecare (Blackpool) is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. The service covers a wide range of dependency needs including adults, children, people with a learning disability, people with mental health problems and younger adults.

Guardian Homecare (Blackpool) also provides care and support to people living in five supported living settings so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

This comprehensive inspection visit took place on 03 July 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provided a domiciliary care service to people who lived in the community. We needed to be sure that we could access the office premises.

The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors.

Before our inspection on 03 July 2018 we reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider, about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people who lived at the home and previous inspection reports. We also checked to see if any information concerning the care and welfare of people supported by the services had been received.

We contacted the commissioning departments at Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service.

As part of the inspection we used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection visit we spoke with a range of people about the service. They included 10 people supported in the community and four people living in two supported living houses. We also went to the Guardian Homecare (Blackpool) office and spoke with the registered manager, senior team leader, three staff working in the community and five staff working in supported living houses.

We looked at the care records of six people, recruitment and supervision records of six staff members, the training matrix and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 18 July 2018

This inspection visit took place on 03 July 2018 and was announced.

Guardian Homecare (Blackpool) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. The agency provides support to people living in the general community and to people living in supported living houses. People in the supported living houses receive continuous care which aims to promote their independence. The service provides support to people with a range of needs including older people and people with physical and learning disabilities. The agency operates from premises based on Amy Johnson Way in Blackpool. At the time of our inspection visit Guardian Homecare (Blackpool) supported 85 people in the community and 25 people in five supported living houses.

At our last inspection on 07 and 08 June 2016 we asked the provider to take action to make improvements because we found a breach of legal requirements. This was in relation to staff recruitment. The service was rated Good overall during the inspection. At this inspection we found the provider had made improvements to ensure they met the legal requirement. We found their recruitment procedures were safe and the evidence continued to support the rating of Good. 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 place. 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.

We spoke with10 people supported in the community. They told us staff who visited them were polite, friendly and caring. They told us they received patient and safe care and they liked the staff who supported them. Comments received included, "I like all my carers they are all very friendly and helpful.” And, “Good time keepers, friendly and caring. I rely on their help so much.”

Four people living in two supported living houses we visited told us they were happy, safe and liked the staff who supported them. One person said, “The staff are great they look after me.”

The service had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report unsafe care or abusive practices.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

Staff knew people they supported and provided a personalised service. Care plans were organised and had identified the care and support people required. We found they were informative about care people had received. They had been kept under review and updated when necessary to reflect people’s changing needs.

Staff spoken with and records seen confirmed a structured induction training and development programme was in place. Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place and staff had received infection control training. Staff had been provided with protective clothing such as gloves and aprons as required. This reduced the risk of cross infection.

Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. People told us they received their medicines at the times they needed them.

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's care and support was planned with them. People told us they had been consulted and listened to about how their care would be delivered.

Staff supported people to have a nutritious dietary and fluid intake. Assistance was provided in preparation of food and drinks as people needed.

People were supported to have access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs had been met.

People told us staff were caring towards them. Staff we spoke with understood the importance of high standards of care to give people meaningful lives.

The service had information with regards to support from an external advocate should this be required by people they supported.

People told us staff who visited them treated them with respect and dignity.

People who used the service and their relatives knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The service had kept a record of complaints received and these had been responded to appropriately.

The service used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included daily service meetings, quality assurance visits, satisfaction surveys and care reviews.

The registered manager and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities and were committed to providing a good standard of care and support to people in their care.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.