Archived: Regal Care

Updated 21 October 2015

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.

The inspection took place on 21, 24, 31 August 2015 and 1 September 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be present. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and spoke with the local authority. We reviewed notifications of incidents that the provider had sent us since the last inspection and also our previous inspection reports. A notification is information about important

events, which the service is required to send us by law.

During our inspection, we visited five people who used the service, and spoke with two relatives, a senior care worker, and the registered manager.

After our inspection we spoke by telephone with 20 people/relatives who used the service as well five members of care staff, and the administrator. We also contacted a district nursing team and the local authority service improvement team for their feedback.

We looked at five records which related to people’s individual care needs. We viewed five staff recruitment files, training records and records associated with the management of the service including policies and procedures.

Updated 21 October 2015

The inspection took place on 21, 24, 31 August 2015 and 1 September 2015 and was announced.

Regal Care provides domiciliary care services to adults within East Cornwall. On the days of the inspection Regal Care was providing support to 33 people including those with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, mental health needs and people living with dementia. At our last inspection in October 2013 the provider was meeting all of the Essential Standards inspected.

People told us care staff were kind, caring and promoted their independence. People also told us staff were respectful of their privacy and dignity. People felt safe when staff entered their home. Staff arrived on time and when they were going to be late, people were informed of this. Staff felt there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and had adequate travelling time. People were protected from the spread of infection because staff followed infection control procedures.

People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely, which meant they were suitable to work with vulnerable people. The provider and staff had a good understanding about safeguarding procedures and about what action they should take if they felt some one was being abused, mistreated or neglected.

People were supported by staff who received an induction as well as training and supervision, which helped to ensure staff were able to meet people’s individual needs.

People had care plans in place, to provide guidance and direction for staff about how to meet a person’s needs, for example how people wanted to be supported with their personal care or with their mobility. However, some care plans were not always reflective of people’s needs. The provider told us action would be taken. Staff were aware of the importance of obtaining people’s consent in line with the Mental Capacity Act. People’s consent and mental capacity was demonstrated in care plans to help make sure people who did not have the mental capacity to make decision for themselves, had their legal rights protected.

People who were supported with their medicine, had care plans in place. People were encouraged to eat and drink. When staff were concerned about whether a person was eating and drink enough, they were responsive in reporting any concerns. Staff were observant of the deterioration in someone’s health and wellbeing and took the necessary action, for example contacting the person’s GP or a district nurse. People were complimentary about the way staff supported them to arrange appointments with external health professionals.

People felt they could complain and that their complaints would be investigated and resolved. People’s feedback was valued and used to facilitate improvements.

The provider had systems in place to help monitor the ongoing quality of the service; however, some checks had not been carried out because of a change in administration staff. The provider was aware of this and was trying to rectify it at the time of our inspection.