Archived: Caring With A Difference Ltd

Updated 28 June 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 provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was carried out by one inspector and was supported by 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. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to make sure they would be available for our inspection.

Before we visited the service we checked the information that we held about the service and the provider including notifications and incidents affecting the safety and well-being of people. Some of the people being cared for were elderly people who had dementia or a specific medical condition and could not always communicate with us and tell us what they thought about the service. Because of this we spoke to family carers and asked for their views about the service

and how they thought their relatives were being cared for.

We spoke with twelve people using the service, six family carers, six staff, the care manager and the registered manager. We reviewed five people’s care plans, five staff files, training records and records relating to the management of the service such as audits, policies and procedures.

Updated 28 June 2017

We undertook an announced inspection on 11 May 2017 of Caring with A Difference Ltd. Caring With A Difference Ltd is registered to provide the regulated activity personal care and provides personal care, housework and assistance with medicines in people's homes.

At the time of the inspection, the service was providing care and supporting 44 people and had 22 care workers working for them.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

At our last inspection on 4 March 2016, the service did not meet Regulations 9, 11, 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We found risks to people’s needs were not assessed appropriately, people were at risk of not receiving their medicines safely, people’s level of capacity had not been assessed, care records were not person centred and auditing processes were not robust enough to monitor and improve the quality of the service. This meant the quality rating we awarded was requires improvement.

After the inspection, we received an action plan from the service telling us what action they would take to meet legal requirements.

At this inspection the registered manager was able to demonstrate that measures had been put in place since the last inspection to respond to the issues identified.

Care plans were personalised and included information about people's preferences. However care plans were poorly presented and there was a lack of attention to detail. Information was not clear for staff to be able to know how to support people with their needs.

Although there some instances of lateness, overall people using the service and relatives told us that care workers turned up on time and they had regular care workers. The service had a system in place to monitor care workers punctuality.

Care workers spoke positively about their experiences working for the service. Training enabled care workers to have the necessary knowledge and skills they needed to carry out their roles and responsibilities.

Care workers had a good understanding of and were aware of the importance of treating people with respect and dignity. Feedback from relatives indicated that positive relationships had developed between people using the service and their care workers and people were treated with dignity and respect.

Systems and processes were in place to help protect people from the risk of harm. Care workers had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to recognise and report any concerns or allegations of abuse. Risk assessments had been carried out which highlighted potential risks and measures to ensure people were safe.

Arrangements were in place in respect of the management of medicines. Care workers had received medicines training and policies and procedures were in place.

The service had a complaints procedure and there was a record of complaints received.

Staff were informed of changes occurring within the service through regular staff meetings. Staff told us that they received up to date information and had an opportunity to share good practice and any concerns they had at these meetings.

Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. We found the service had obtained feedback about the quality of the service people received through satisfaction surveys. Records showed positive feedback had been provided about the service.