Archived: Good Companions Bury

Updated 2 February 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

We carried out an announced inspection of the agency office on the 12 and, 13 December 2017. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection date to the office. This was because the service is small and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in. We also spent time speaking with people who used the service, their relatives and staff on the 14 and 18 December 2017.

The inspection team comprised of one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider also completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was completed by the provider as requested and returned to Care Quality Commission (CQC). Information provided was used to inform the inspection. We also looked at the information we held about the service, including complaints and concerns as well as notifications the provider had sent us. A notification is information about important events such as, accidents and incidents, which the provider is required to send us by law.

We contacted the local authority quality monitoring team and Health Watch Bury. This information helps us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service. We received information back from the local authority quality assurance monitoring team about medication management and visit times. We considered this information as part of the inspection.

During this inspection we spoke with three people who used the service and the relatives of four people by telephone to seek their views about the service provided. In addition, we spoke with two care staff and the registered manager. We looked in detail at the care records for four people, medication administration records, five staff recruitment and training files, policies and procedures and quality assurance audits.

Updated 2 February 2018

We carried out an announced inspection of the agency office on the 12 and 13 December 2017. We also spent time speaking with people who used the service, their relatives and staff on the 14 and 18 December 2017.

Good Companions is a Domiciliary Care Service that provides personal care to people in their own homes. The service operates seven days a week and care packages can vary depending on the individual needs of people. Services provided include assistance with personal care, help with domestic tasks and meal preparation, medication monitoring and social activities. At the time of our inspection there were 16 people using the service. Not everyone using Good Companions receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

At the last inspection undertaken on 3 March 2016. The registered provider had breached Regulations 17 and 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. These were in relation to poor recruitment practices and the lack quality assurance systems to monitor and review the quality of the service. The overall rating for the service at that time was requires improvement.

Following the last inspection we asked the provider to complete an improvement plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions, is the service safe and well led to at least good. A copy of the plan was received.

At this inspection, we found that some improvements had been made with regards to the implementation of quality assurance systems to monitor and review the service provided. However appropriate action had not been taken with regards to the implementation of robust recruitment procedures. We identified three breaches in the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014 with regards to recruitment procedures and staff training opportunities. You can see what action we have told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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. The registered manager and their partner were in the process of taking over the service. At the time of the inspection the registered provider remained unchanged.

Adequate numbers of staff were available to support those people currently using the service. However recruitment procedures were not sufficiently robust to ensure that only suitable applicants were appointed so that people were kept safe.

Staff had not received all the essential training necessary for their role. Systems to support and direct staff were in place and staff spoken with said they felt supported in their role.

New systems were being implemented to help monitor and review the quality of the service including seeking feedback from all parties involved. These had yet to be embedded helping to evidence continuous improvements so that people received safe and effective care.

People told us they received the care they needed and wanted. They told us they considered staff were polite and caring and felt they had the right skills and knowledge to care for them safely. People and their relatives said staff were respectful and considered people’s privacy and dignity when delivering care. Staff we spoke with were able to demonstrate they knew people well.

Staff were able to demonstrate their understanding of the safeguarding people from abuse policy and whistle blowing procedures (the reporting of unsafe and/or poor practice) and knew what to do if an allegation of abuse was made to them or if they suspected that abuse had occurred. Systems were also in place to ensure the safety and protection of people’s property and belongings.

Potential risks to people’s health and well-being had been identified, assessed and management plans had been put in place to help minimise potential harm or injury to people.

Improvements had been made to the management and administration of people’s prescribed medicines. This helped to ensure people’s health and well-being was maintained.

Procedures were in place with regards to the management and control of infection. Staff had access to protective clothing such as disposable gloves and aprons when needed. This helped to the reduced the risk of cross infection.

People told us they were involved and consulted about their care and support. Staff were aware of the importance of seeking people’s permission before carrying out personal care tasks.

Suitable arrangements were in place to help ensure people’s health and nutritional needs were met, where needed.

People’s records were personalised and reflected their individual needs and wishes. Plans provided clear direction for staff about the support people wanted and needed.

Systems were in place for recording any complaints or concerns. People and their relatives told us they felt able to speak with staff and the registered manager should they need to and were confident matters would be addressed.