Background to this inspection
Updated
10 August 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 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 unannounced inspection took place on 25 and 27 July 2017 and was undertaken by one inspector. On the second day of our inspection we spoke with people by telephone.
In order to plan our inspection we looked at the information we hold about the service, such as the number and type of notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.
During the inspection we spoke with 11 people who used the service, the registered manager, the director for the service, a senior care coordinator, one senior care staff and five care staff. We also visited one person in their homes with the person’s permission. This was to help us understand the quality of care people received.
We looked at six people’s care records, staff meeting minutes and training and evidence of supervision planning records. We also looked at medicine administration records and records in relation to the management of the service, such as checks on matters affecting people’s health and safety. We checked staff recruitment, accident and incident records and quality assurance records.
Updated
10 August 2017
ComForcare Senior Services - Peterborough is a domiciliary care service and is registered to provide personal care to people living in their home. At the time of our inspection there were 60 people using the service. The service's head office is located in Peterborough from where people's care is managed.
This unannounced comprehensive inspection was undertaken by one inspector and took place on 25 and 27 July 2017. At the previous inspection on 12 March 2015 the service was rated as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.
A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.
Staff had been trained about safeguarding people from harm, they knew what actions to take and who they could report any potential concerns about people’s safety to.
Accidents and incidents such people experiencing a fall, were identified and acted upon when required.
People were supported with the safe management and administration of their prescribed medicines.
Risks to people such as those for, falls, mobility and moving and handling had been identified. These risks were managed in a way which protected people’s safety.
People’s assessed needs were met by enough skilled and competent staff to provide people with their care needs at a time and in a way the person preferred. People's care needs were responded to in a person centred way.
The training, development and support that staff received enabled them to carry out their role to the standards that were expected of them.
People were effectively supported to eat and drink sufficient quantities of the foods and drinks they enjoyed and gained health benefits from. Staff supported people to access external health care professionals promptly.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People were treated with respect by staff who understood what providing people with privacy, dignity and independence meant.
People’s views about their care were sought in a variety of ways according to people’s preferences. People’s views and comments were acted upon.
The registered manager had created an open and honest staff culture where teamwork was fostered to develop staff’s knowledge and skills in providing the right standards of care.
An effective governance and quality assurance system was in place and this helped drive improvements in identified shortfalls.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.