We carried out a review of the data available to us about Unique Personnel (UK) Limited - Newham Branch on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Unique Personnel (UK) Limited - Newham Branch, you can give feedback on this service.
Unique Personnel (UK) Limited – Newham Branch is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to children and adults in their own homes. 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. At the time of this inspection, 40 people were using the service.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were protected from abuse and poor care. People using the service felt safe with staff and relatives confirmed this was the case. Staff knew how to report concerns of abuse. People had risk assessments in place. There were enough staff at the service to meet people’s needs and the provider had a system to monitor late or missed calls. Medicines were managed safely, and people were protected from risks associated with the spread of infection. There was a system in place to record accidents and incidents.
Care plans were person-centred and staff knew how to deliver personalised care. Where appropriate, people were supported with activities, and to meet their cultural and spiritual needs. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and felt these would be appropriately resolved. Care records documented end of life care wishes so this type of care could be provided when needed.
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 this practice. People were encouraged to make choices and decisions in a way that met their communication needs.
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the leadership in the service. Managers and staff understood their role and responsibilities. Staff had regular meetings including small group supervisions so important messages and changes could be shared. People and staff were asked for feedback about the quality of the service so improvements could be identified. The registered manager carried out quality checks in the service so that issues could be identified. The provider worked jointly with other agencies to improve outcomes for people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 29 August 2019) and there was a breach of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation.
At our last inspection we made recommendations about the management of complaints and staff meetings. At this inspection we found the provider had acted on this and improvements had been made.
Why we inspected
We carried out a comprehensive inspection of this service on 27 June 2019. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment.
We undertook this focused inspection to check the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions, Safe, Responsive and Well-led which contain those requirements. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Unique Personnel (UK) Limited – Newham Branch 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.
Unique Personnel Newham Branch is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to older adults, people with a physical disability and mental health needs living in their own homes and flats. At the time of this inspection, 328 people were 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 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
Medicines support was not always clear within people’s care plan. The level of support people received in the community did not match what was written in the care plan.
People were protected from the risk of abuse and people told us they felt safe at the service.
People received care at a time convenient to them and people told us staff arrived on time. Staff were recruited to the service in a safe way.
Management at the service logged all accidents and incidents and took steps to prevent them from happening in the future. Staff followed appropriate infection control practices to minimise the spread of infection.
People received an assessment of need before care began but allergies were not always recorded in the initial assessment when the information had been provided.
People were supported to eat and drink and care plans encouraged people to maintain a healthy diet. Records confirmed consent was documented before a care package began and people told us staff asked for the permission before providing care.
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 this practice.
People liked the care workers they were provided with and told us they were kind and compassionate. People were treated with equality and people told us staff showed respect towards them. People were encouraged to maintain their independence but knew staff were available if they needed help with any aspect of care.
Care plans were personalised overall and people told us they were asked about what they wanted from their care. Complaints were recorded and the service took appropriate action to resolve them to people’s satisfaction. Issues were identified in relation to relatives being able to access the out of hours telephone number.
Quality checks had improved at the service to make sure people received care at the right time and that it met their needs. People told us feedback was requested by management of the service through telephone calls and spot checks.
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 requires improvement (published 19 July 2018).
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection enough improvement had not been sustained and the provider was still in breach of regulations.
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 19 July 2018). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Enforcement: We identified a breach in relation to the safe management of medicines. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Unique Personnel (UK) Limited – Newham Branch is a domiciliary care service run by Unique Personnel (UK) Limited. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. They provide a service to older adults, younger disabled adults, children, people with dementia, a physical disability, learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and, or, sensory impairment. At the time of our inspection Unique Personnel (UK) Limited – Newham Branch was providing care to 240 people in their own homes in the London boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets.
Not everyone using Unique Personnel (UK) Limited – Newham Branch receives regulated activity. The Care Quality Commission 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.
The service had a registered manager in post. 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.
The provider failed to display the last CQC performance assessment ratings on their website. The provider managed regulated activities in Tower Hamlets out of an office that was not registered as a location.
Risks to people’s health and care were not always identified and risk assessments were not always reviewed. Some people did not have care plans and staff used care plans devised by previous providers to support people. Medicines administration records were not always completed as per the provider’s policy and we found gaps in them. Some people experienced late and missed care visits and the provider did not always maintain records of these. Not all staff were able to describe types and signs of abuse. Appropriate recruitment checks were not carried out before staff were allocated on shadow visits to people’s homes. People’s care plans did not always include information on people’s end of life care wishes and staff were not trained in end of life care. We have made a recommendation about the management of people's end of life care wishes.
Not all people had access to office contact details and were not always satisfied with how the complaints were addressed. The provider’s audit and monitoring checks were not effective as they did not always identify gaps and errors in records. There was a lack of follow up action records in relation to issues identified during spot checks. Some people told us they were not asked for formal feedback.
Most people and relatives told us the service was safe and they trusted staff. They said staff understood their needs and knew their likes and dislikes. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met and their cultural dietary needs were recorded and met. Staff sought people’s consent before supporting them and people told us they were given choices. People’s care plans made reference to their likes, dislikes, religious and cultural needs and preferences. People told us they felt involved in the care planning process and were mainly supported by same staff team. Staff were trained in equality and diversity and people told us staff respected their dignity and privacy. Staff received regular supervision and training to deliver effective care. People, their relatives and staff found management approachable and supportive.
We found the registered provider was not meeting legal requirements and was in breach of five Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was in relation to safe care and treatment, good governance, fit and proper persons employed, display of performance assessments and conditions of registration.
You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
Full information about CQC's regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.
We undertook this focused inspection on the 27 September 2016 to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. We found that the service had made improvements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for (location's name) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk”
The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide support with personal care to adults and children living in their own homes. They support people with a variety of needs, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with learning disabilities and on the autistic spectrum.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
The service was providing staff with regular training in moving and handling. Records showed that staff received training to support their role and to move people safely within their home. The registered manager told us staff now received training every year in this area and they also received refresher training every two to three months to support them in their role.
Staff were also supported to complete the care certificate and records showed this had been done and staff were assessed to further check their competency when delivering care.
As this was a focused inspection and took place more than six months after the comprehensive inspection, the location’s overall rating will not be reviewed. This will be done when the service receives its next comprehensive inspection.
This inspection took place over two days on the 27 and 28 August 2014 and was announced. This was the first inspection of this service since it became registered at its current location in July 2015. The service was previously inspected at its previous location in February 2014. At that time one breach of legal requirements was found. That was because the service did not have accurate and up to date records relating to people’s care needs. We found this requirement had been met during this inspection.
The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide support with personal care to adults and children living in their own homes. They support people with a variety of needs, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with learning disabilities and on the autistic spectrum. At the time of our inspection the service provided support with personal care to 186 people.
The service had a registered manager in place. 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.
Staff did not receive appropriate training and support, in particular in relation to induction training and moving and handling of people. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this report.
People and their relatives told us they felt safe using the service. Appropriate safeguarding procedures were in place. Risk assessments were in place and staff knew how to support people whose behaviour challenged the service. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and robust staff recruitment procedures were in place.
People were able to make choices and consent to their care. Staff understood that people had the right to make decisions for themselves and to refuse care. People were able to make choices about what they ate where the service provided support with food preparation. The service supported people to access other health and social care agencies if required.
People and their relatives told us staff were caring and that they were treated with dignity and respect. Staff had a good understanding of how to promote people’s privacy and independence.
Care plans were in place which set out how to meet people’s individual needs. These were subject to annual review. The service had a complaints procedure in place and people were aware of how to make a complaint.
Staff told us they found the management at the service to be helpful and supportive. The service had various quality assurance and monitoring systems in place, some of which included seeking the views of people that used the service.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we asked the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.