Background to this inspection
Updated
11 August 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and an 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the Wolverhampton area.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 19 July 2023 and finished on 20 July 2023. We visited the location's office on 20 July 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since our last inspection, including notifications the provider had sent to us. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This 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 took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 1 person and 2 relatives. We also spoke with the nominated individual, the registered manager and 3 care staff. We looked at the care records for 7 people. We checked the care people received matched the information in their records. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, including audits carried out within the service. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
Updated
11 August 2023
About the service
Lovage Homecare Ltd provides personal care to people, inducing older people living in their own homes. There were 7 people using the service at the time of our inspection.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
The systems in place to monitor the care people received were not consistently completed. When completed they did not always identify areas of improvement or demonstrate the actions taken.
People were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not always support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not always support this practice.
There were enough suitably recruited staff available to support people and they were happy with the care they received. Staff have received training and a new induction process had been introduced.
Risks to people were considered and reviewed, when needed. Infection controls procedure where in place and followed. People received their medicines when needed.
Staff felt supported and listened to. Feedback was sought from people who used the service, and they were involved with their care and reviews.
People were supported with mealtimes when required and their needs were now assessed. When needed supported was offered with people’s health.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was inadequate (Published 2 June 2023)
At this inspection we found some improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of some regulations. The provider remained in breach of other regulations.
This service has been in Special Measures since 20/01/2023. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.
The overall rating for the service has changed from inadequate to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Lovage Homecare Ltd. on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We have identified breaches in relation to MCA and how the service is governed.
Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.