Background to this inspection
Updated
16 June 2016
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 13 May 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to ensure someone would be available to help with the inspection.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection, the provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports and any notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.
Prior to the office inspection, we sent surveys to six people who used the service, 13 staff and six relatives. We received a total of two responses. We have taken the results into consideration as a routine part of our inspection process. During the office inspection we spoke with the registered manager and an administrator.
After the inspection, we conducted telephone interviews with four people who used the service and four staff. We did not visit people’s homes as part of this inspection.
We looked at five care folders which showed people’s individual care needs. We also looked at four staff personnel files. We spent time reviewing documentation which supported the registered manager run the service, these included policies and procedures.
Updated
16 June 2016
This inspection took place on 13 May 2016. It was an announced visit to the service.
We previously inspected the service on 15 May 2014. The service was meeting the requirements of the regulations at that time.
Age Concern Slough and Berkshire East provide support to people in their own home in the Slough, Maidenhead and surrounding areas. It was supporting seven people at the time of our inspection. This included older people who had varying levels of physical disabilities.
The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
We received very positive feedback from people who used the service. Comments included “They are one hundred percent, really, really pleasant. I couldn’t have any better support” and “They do a good job, they are excellent.”
The service did not always ensure that all pre-employment checks were routinely conducted. This meant that it potentially could employ people who were not suitable for the role.
The provider is required to inform CQC of certain events. We found this did not always happen when required.
People were protected from abuse as staff had received training and were able to communicate what they would do if they suspected abuse.
People received personalised care as care plans were detailed and people’s likes and dislikes, were clearly documented.
People described the staff as caring and felt they had a good relationship with them. Staff were able to demonstrate how they provided dignified care.
We found breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014 and one breach of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulation 2009. You can see what action we took at the end of this report.