Background to this inspection
Updated
8 February 2020
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.
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
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the person who used the service, two relatives, the registered manager, deputy manager and two care workers.
We reviewed a range of records including the person’s care and medication records, two staff files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found and we spoke with a professional who regularly visit the service.
Updated
8 February 2020
About the service
Mountaincare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. At the time of the inspection it was providing personal care to one person living in their own home.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The person and their relatives spoke positively about the care provided. The service had a small staff team who worked closely together and knew the person well.
The systems in place for monitoring the quality and safety of the service were not robust.
We have made recommendations about the management of medicines, staff training, end of life care and oral health care.
Risks to the person were assessed and monitored but records were not always updated. Staff did not always have appropriate, up to date training to meet the person’s needs.
Staff were trained in the administration of medicines. However, medicines records were not always completed accurately.
Staff had received safeguarding training and knew what action to take to protect the person from the risk of harm. There were enough staff available to support the person.
The service worked closely with other health professionals and accessed health services when needed.
The person was supported with their nutritional needs.
The person was 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.
Care was personalised. Staff were kind and caring and treated the person with dignity and respect.
The person and their relatives knew how to raise concerns and told us they were confident action would be taken by the service if necessary.
Staff felt supported by the registered manager. The service sought regular feedback from the person and their relatives.
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 this service was Good (published 19 July 2016)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.