This inspection took place on 10 September 2018 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the registered manager could be out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available.At our last comprehensive inspection on 13 July 2017 we found the provider was breaching regulations relating to assessing risks to people and good governance. We also found the provider was not caring for people in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and rated the effective question as requires improvement. We issued the provider with a warning notice in relation to the repeated breach of good governance. Following that inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions safe, effective and well led to at least good. At our next focussed inspection on 24 November 2017 we found the provider had met the requirements of the warning notice and was no longer in breach of the regulations. However, we did not improve the rating for these questions from requires improvement because to do so requires consistent good practice over time.
At this inspection we found the provider had sustained the necessary improvements and judged the overall rating to be Good.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults, some of whom may be living with dementia. There were 29 people using the service at the time of this inspection.
Not everyone using Clovecare Limited receives 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.
Since our last inspection, the manager had become registered. 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.
People felt safe with the care provided and with the staff who supported them. Risk assessments were undertaken to help people to live safely. The provider had improved these to ensure they matched the person's assessed needs and considered risks in people's homes.
The process for staff recruitment was robust and well managed. Appropriate checks were carried out to help ensure only suitable staff were employed to work at the service. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and the provider made sure they had the resources and capacity to deliver the support people required.
People were supported by regular carers who were appropriately trained and supervised in their roles. Management monitored and observed staff practice to ensure people received their agreed care and support.
Staff were caring and attentive, and knew the people they cared for. People felt that care staff respected their privacy and dignity and helped them to remain as independent as they could.
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.
The support provided was person-centred and flexible, taking into account peoples’ preferences and individual circumstances. People’s care needs were assessed and they were fully involved in making decisions about their care and support before they started using the service.
Assessments considered whether people had any needs in relation to their disability, sexuality, religion or culture. Staff understood and respected these needs.
People's healthcare and dietary needs were assessed and met. Other health and social care professionals were involved where further support was needed for people. Where people required assistance to take their medicines, this was managed safely.
There was effective leadership and people, relatives and staff told us the agency was well run. People and their relatives were given regular opportunities to share their views about the quality of care and any concerns or complaints were acted on.
People benefitted from safe quality care and support as the provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and make improvements and changes where necessary.
This was a relatively new agency and the registered provider and manager knew what was required to develop the service.