Background to this inspection
Updated
7 March 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 team consisted of one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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 no registered manager in post. The provider was recruiting for a new registered manager to replace the previous registered manager, who left the service shortly before our inspection.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that a senior staff member would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 22 February 2023 and ended on 24 February 2023. We visited the location’s office on 22 February 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since they were registered. 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 1 person and 2 relatives about their experiences of using the service. We also spoke with the senior staff team which comprised of the nominated individual and the care coordinator. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. Both the nominated individual and care coordinator were trained and providing care and support to people using the service at the time of this inspection. The service operates under a license as a franchisee of Guardian Angel Carers. We spoke with the quality and compliance manager from the national head office team, who provide the service with support and guidance with quality and compliance standards. We reviewed a range of records including 2 people’s care records, records relating to staffing, recruitment, training and supervision and other records relating to the management of the service.
Updated
7 March 2023
About the service
Guardian Angel Carers Banstead and Purley is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care. The service provides support to people living in their own homes in the community. 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. At the time of our inspection the service was providing personal care to 6 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe using the service. Staff understood how to safeguard people from abuse and keep them safe from identified risks to their safety and wellbeing. There were enough staff to support people and meet their needs. Recruitment and criminal records checks were carried out on staff to make sure they were suitable to support people. Staff followed current practice when providing personal care and when preparing and handling food which reduced hygiene risks.
Staff received relevant training to help them meet people’s needs. The provider made sure staff had regular opportunities to review and improve their working practices. The provider regularly checked staff were carrying out their duties to the expected high standard.
People were supported to stay healthy and well. Staff helped people to eat and drink enough to meet their needs and to take their prescribed medicines. Staff understood people’s healthcare needs and how they should be supported with these. They were observant to changes in people’s health and wellbeing and sought support for people when this was required.
People were happy with the care and support they received from staff. They received the care and support that had been planned and agreed with them. Staff were kind and caring and focussed on meeting people’s needs and respecting their choices and preferences about how care and support was provided. They supported people in a dignified, respectful way which maintained their privacy and independence. People had a choice about who they received care and support from and the provider made sure this was from the same staff so that care and support was provided in a consistent way.
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 supported this practice.
There was no registered manager in post and the service was being managed by the nominated individual while the provider actively recruited for a new manager for the service. However, the service was managed well. The nominated individual was experienced, had a clear understanding of how people’s needs should be met and communicated well with people.
The provider had systems in place to monitor and review the safety and quality of the service. They checked with people at regular intervals that the care and support provided was meeting their needs and sought their views about how the service could improve.
There were arrangements in place to make sure any accidents, incidents and complaints would be fully investigated and people would be involved and informed of the outcome. The provider worked with others to develop and improve the care and support provided to people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 7 November 2022 and this is the first inspection.
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.