Archived: Marjon Home Support Agency

Updated 25 July 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 was a comprehensive inspection.

This inspection took place on 13 and 14 June 2017 and was announced. Forty eight hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure we are able to speak with people who use the service and the staff who support them. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed 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 notifications we had received from the service. Notifications are information we receive from the service when significant events happen, like a serious injury.

During our inspection we visited and talked with one person in their own home, contacted one person by telephone and one person by email to get their views about the service they received. We also spoke with the provider and staff. We looked at three people’s care and support records, associated risk assessments and medicine records. We looked at management records including staff recruitment, training and support records and staff meeting minutes.

We last inspected Marjon Home Support Agency in April 2015. The service was rated Good.

Updated 25 July 2017

Care service description

Marjon Home Support Agency provides care and support to a range of people living in their own homes including, older people and people with physical disabilities. The support hours vary dependant on people’s preferences. At the time of the inspection 12 people were receiving care and support from the service in the East Kent and Bromley areas.

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

Rating at this inspection

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good

The registered manager was leading the service and was supported by the provider. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the care and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff were kind and caring to people and treated them with dignity and respect at all times. Staff knew the signs of abuse and were confident to raise any concerns they had with the registered manager and provider. Complaints were investigated and responded to.

Assessments of people’s needs and any risks had been completed and care had been planned with people to meet their needs and preferences and keep them safe. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them to continue to be part of their local community.

Changes in people’s health were identified and staff contacted people’s health care professionals with their agreement. People’s medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines in the ways their healthcare professional had prescribed. Staff prepared food and drinks to people’s preferences.

People received their care and support from the same care staff. They told us staff always arrived on time and had never failed to arrive to support them. Staff were recruited safely and Disclosure and Barring Service criminal records checks had been completed. Staff were supported to meet people’s needs and had completed the training they needed to fulfil their role. Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities and worked as a team to meet people’s needs.

The provider and registered manager had oversight of the service and checked the quality of all areas of the service regularly. Staff felt supported and were motivated by them. Staff shared the provider’s vision of a good quality service. Records in respect of each person were accurate and complete.