Background to this inspection
Updated
26 October 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type:
The service is a domiciliary care agency, which provides personal care to older people, young adults, people living with the experience of dementia, autism, learning disabilities and physical disabilities. The service also provides live in care although they were not accepting any more people who needed this service.
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 site visit because we needed to be sure arrangements could be made to meet with key staff.
What we did:
Before the inspection we looked at information we held about the service. We asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR.) This is key information providers are required to send about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. The law requires providers to notify us of certain events that happen during the running of a service. We reviewed notifications received since the last inspection.
During the inspection:
Inspection site visit activity was carried out on 14 and 23 August 2019. We visited the office location on these dates to see the provider and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with the registered manager, the provider's senior management team, including the nominated individual. A nominated individual has responsibility for supervising the way that regulated activity is managed by a service. We spoke with five staff covering every role within the service. We looked at the care records of ten people. We reviewed other records including complaints, staff recruitment and training records and a recent quality assurance survey.
After the inspection:
We contacted 22 people by e-mail and by phone. We received feedback from three people using the service, from three social care professionals and from nine staff.
Updated
26 October 2019
About the service
All Care (GB) Southampton Branch is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people with a range of physical and health conditions living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection 290 people were receiving care and support. 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were provided with safe care. Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people and had raised concerns where necessary. Risk to people's health and safety had been assessed and measures had been put in place to mitigate those identified. There were sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff deployed to meet people's collective needs. Staff managed people's medicines safely and ensured infection control policies and procedures were followed.
People were provided with effective care. People's physical, mental and social needs were assessed and understood. The agency had developed an electronic recording system which helped them to monitor the service more effectively and which helped staff to respond quickly to any changes in people's assessed needs.
Staff were well supported and training provided ensured staff understood health and safety protocols. More specific training also helped staff to care for people's particular health needs. People were 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. The agency worked cooperatively with other agencies to ensure people's needs were met.
The service was caring. Staff knew about people's preferences and wishes and people were invited to express their views about how they wished to receive their care. Privacy and dignity were respected.
The service was responsive. Care planning was personalised and people's communication needs were assessed. Information could be provided in an accessible format. The agency worked hard to support charities and to include people, especially if they were socially isolated, in community events. Complaints were addressed in line with company policy. Staff worked alongside health care professionals to provide good support to people at the end of their lives.
The service was well managed and well led. There was an open and inclusive culture and the registered manager led by example. There was a clear management structure and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Robust quality assurance processes helped to ensure the service provided a good standard of care and improvements were made when any shortfalls had been identified.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 10 February 2017).
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk