Team Locum Limited

Team Locum Limited is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care to people in their own homes and flats. At the time of the inspection there were 15 people using the service.

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 care, hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experiences of using the service and what we found

People were protected from risk of abuse because staff had received training in safeguarding and knew what actions to take to keep people safe. Risks to people had been assessed and were regularly reviewed. People told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them and felt staff were trained. Medicines were managed safely.

People’s risks had been identified and there were clear risk assessments in place to provide staff with current information to enable them to support people safely. Staff were also trained in people’s support needs, for example, people’s medical conditions.

People told us they felt safe and well cared for. All staff were trained in safeguarding and there was a safeguarding policy to provide guidance. Staff wore personal protective requirement (PPE) in line with current government guidance.

People’s care plans, risk assessments and other personal records included details of their interests, personal history, and what support was required.

The provider undertook pre-employment checks on prospective staff to check their suitability to support the people who used the service.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the overall service and the caring approach staff adopted to their work. They were asked for their feedback on the service and knew how to contact the provider as needed. Staff felt valued and supported by the management team and were able to raise any concerns about people’s care. The provider conducted regular audits to review the quality of care provided and how this could be improved.

Rating at last inspection

The service was rated good at their last inspection on 08 April 2019.

Why we inspected

We received concerns that the provider had not followed appropriate procedures in relation to recruitment of staff. As a result of this information we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the rating.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe section of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Team Locum on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

• Team Locum Limited is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. On the day of the inspection, nine people were receiving support.

People’s experience of using this service:

• People received safe care. People were safe within the service and there were enough care staff to keep them safe. The provider had recruitment systems in place to ensure only appropriate staff were appointed. Where people were administered medicines, this was done as it was prescribed. Care staff had access to personal protective equipment and where accidents and incidents took place trends were monitored.

• People received effective care. Care staff had the skills and knowledge to support people how they wanted. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People decided the meals they had. Where people needed to see a health care professionals care staff were available as required.

• People received support that was caring and compassionate. People decided how they were supported. Care staff were respectful of people’s privacy, dignity and independence.

• People received support that was responsive to their needs. An assessment and care plan was in place to show how people wanted to be supported. The provider had a complaints process in place that people knew how to use.

• The service was well led. The registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of the service they were managing. Communication between the office and care staff was good. Audits and spot checks were carried out to ensure the service people received was of a good quality. Questionnaires were used to engage with people and the information gathered was analysed to improve the service.

Rating at last inspection:

• This was the first inspection so there was not a previous rating.

Why we inspected:

• This was a planned comprehensive inspection.

Follow up:

• We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.