Updated 13 November 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. 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The 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. The inspector visited the office and met with staff and people who used the service. The Expert by Experience sought people’s view through telephone interviews.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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
This inspection was announced.
We gave the service 72 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available. It also gave the registered manager time to arrange for us to speak to staff and people who used the service.
Inspection activity started on 22 October 2019 and ended on 23 October 2019. We visited the office location on both dates to meet with staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received from and about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection we met with four people and one relative. The Expert by Experience spoke with seven people who used the service and five relatives on the telephone. We also spoke with nine members of staff. The registered manager and nominated individual were present throughout the inspection. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We looked at a selection of records which included;
Three care and support plans
Three staff files
A sample of medication administration records.
Records of incidents and accidents.
A selection of compliments