Background to this inspection
Updated
25 December 2019
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
One inspector carried out this inspection.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 6 November 2019 and ended on 8 November 2019. We visited the office location on 6 November 2016.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We also contacted the local authority for feedback about the service. The provider was not asked to complete a 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. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and care co-ordinator. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two care staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with four people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with two care staff.
Updated
25 December 2019
About the service
Care Packages UK Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care for people living in their own homes. At the time of inspection seven people were receiving support from the service.
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
The provider did not always have effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. Current systems had not identified issues we found at inspection, for example in relation to missing details in one person’s care plan, recruitment and complaint procedures.
The majority of people and relatives raised concerns about either time of calls or short calls being experienced. Whilst people had not experienced harm the quality of their care had been compromised. The registered manager acknowledged that management reports to analyse call times and call lengths had not been completed.
The provider completed employment checks to ensure care staff were suitable to deliver care and support before they started work. They needed to strengthen the process further and ensure a full employment history was completed for all staff.
Safeguarding policies and procedures ensured people were protected from the risk of harm and abuse. People we spoke with told us they felt safe with the care staff who supported them. Where people were supported with medicines this had been provided safely.
Staff had received a robust induction and ongoing training, the care staff we spoke with felt they had effective knowledge and skills to support people. 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's needs had been assessed holistically and support plans developed to ensure people were supported effectively. People had been supported to maintain their health and wellbeing and had access to healthcare services when required.
People were supported by care staff who were caring and compassionate. Staff showed respect for people's rights, privacy, dignity and independence. People were supported by regular care staff to aid consistency of care and ensure positive relationships were maintained with people.
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 12 May 2017).
Since this rating was awarded the service has moved premises. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Enforcement
We have identified a breach in relation to good governance.
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.