Westminster Homecare (Cambridge)

Updated 23 January 2020

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector 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 care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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

This inspection was announced. We gave a short period notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit or telephone call from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this.

Inspection activity started on 7 January 2020 and ended on 10 January 2020. We visited the office location on 9 January 2020. We spoke with people and relatives by telephone on the 7 and 8 January 2020 and visited one person and their relative in their home on the 9 January 2020. On the 10 January 2020 we spoke with a further two staff members.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included notifications about various incidents the provider must tell us about. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider sent us their provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people and eight relatives of people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and a visiting regional manager. We also spoke with nine staff including care coordinators, field care supervisors and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and two medication records. We looked at one new staff recruitment file and records relating to training and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies, accident and incident records were also reviewed.

Following our inspection

The registered manager sent us further information regarding accidents and incidents.

Updated 23 January 2020

About the service

Westminster Homecare (Cambridge) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 152 people. This service is provided to younger adults and older people with a range of support needs and health conditions. Including people living with dementia.

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

Sufficient staff with the right skills, supported people to be safe. Staff implemented their knowledge of safeguarding systems well. Staff were recruited safely. Most risks were identified and managed well. One person told us, "[Staff] lift me in the hoist and sling. They always do it safely and there are always two staff." Lessons were learned when things went wrong.

People's assessed needs were met by staff whose training and support had given them the required skills. The provider worked well with others involved in people's care. People ate and drank enough. Staff enabled people to access health care and support services. 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 support this practice.

Staff provided people with kind, compassionate and thoughtful care. People's privacy and dignity was upheld. People who needed support from an advocate were given information how to access this. People had a say in developing their care and how it was provided.

People's care was person centred and staff enabled people to take part in pastimes, hobbies and activities people were interested in. People's complaints were responded to in line with the provider's policies and to the person's satisfaction. Systems and procedures were in place to support people with end of life care and in a dignified way.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities. Audits and quality assurance processes were effective in identifying and driving improvements. Staff received stable and consistent support and leadership for their role. People, relatives and staff had a say in how the service was run. The provided worked well with others to provide people with joined up care.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 17 July 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.