Background to this inspection
Updated
7 December 2022
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
This inspection was carried out by one 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, flats and specialist housing.
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
This inspection was announced.
We gave the service 48 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 24 October 2022 and ended on 16 November 2022. We visited the location’s office 10 November 2022.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 9 relatives of people who used the service, the registered manager, 2 service managers and contacted nine staff members, which only one staff member responded. We reviewed a range of records which included, support plans, risk assessments, recruitment information and training records and audits carried out to monitor the way the service was run.
Updated
7 December 2022
About the service
Lifeways Community Care Limited (Nottingham) is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support to adults in their own homes. The support people received ranged from short visits to 24hour care depending on people's needs. At the time of our inspection there were 49 people using the service.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support
People were protected from the risk of abuse and neglect and risks to people’s health were assessed to reduce risks. There were enough staff to provide safe care to people in their homes.
Medicines were safely administered. Staff followed infection control policies and procedures, including current guidance for COVID-19 to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. Systems were in place to ensure that accidents and incidents were recorded and acted upon.
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.
Right Care
People had their needs assessed prior to receiving personal care. Staff were effectively inducted into the service and trained for their role. Staff received supervision to develop their roles. Where needed people were supported with their meals and to maintain a balanced diet. Referrals were made to other health and social care professionals as and when required.
Right Culture
People were listened to and were able to make decisions about their care. Staff were kind, caring and respectful. Care was provided in a dignified and respectful way.
People received person-centred care and were able to make choices about the way they wanted their care to be provided. A complaints policy and system were in place so that any complaints could be dealt with appropriately. The registered manager was reiterating the complaint process to people and staff to ensure all complaints would be addressed and followed up.
People were involved in the way the service was run, however relatives felt communication from the service could be improved. The registered manager had a good understanding of the regulatory requirements of their role. Systems were in place to monitor and check on all areas of the service.
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 the service at the previous premises was Good, published on 01 September 2017.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.