Archived: Merit Home Care Limited

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 was a comprehensive inspection, which took place on 14 and 21 September 2017 and was announced. We gave the service one day’s notice of the inspection because we wanted to make sure staff were available in the office. The inspection visit was carried out by one inspector.

As part of the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the home, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. Before this inspection, the provider completed a 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. We also contacted stakeholders, such as Healthwatch and commissioners, for their views of the home.

We spoke with two people who received care from the agency and four relatives. We visited and spoke with four people in their home. We also spoke with five members of care staff and the registered manager. We checked six people’s care records and medicines administration records (MARs). We checked records relating to how the service is run and monitored, such as audits, staff recruitment, training and health and safety records.

Updated 15 November 2017

Cozycare Limited provides personal care to people in their own homes. There were 98 people who received care from the agency at the time of our visit. Staff from the agency cover the city of Peterborough and surrounding areas.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The agency has a registered manager in post. 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.

Staff knew how to respond to any possible incident of harm and how to reduce risks to people. There were enough staff who had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Medicines were stored and administered safely.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received a choice of meals and staff supported them to eat and drink enough. Staff had enough information to refer people to health care professionals if this was required.

Staff were caring and kind and treated people with respect. People were listened to and were involved in their care and what they did on a day to day basis. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

People’s personal and health care needs were met and care records guided staff in how to do this. Complaints were investigated and responded to and people knew who to speak with if they had concerns.

Staff worked well together and felt supported by the management team. The monitoring process looked at records, identified issues and staff took the appropriate action to resolve these.

Further information is in the detailed findings below