Archived: Goldcare Professionals

Updated 14 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 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 to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and 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.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we had about the service including statutory notifications. Notifications are information about specific events that the service is legally required to send us.

During our inspection we went to the Goldcare Professionals office. We spoke with the registered manager and four staff members. We undertook telephone calls to seven people who received care and support from the service and six relatives of people who received support from the service. We received feedback from one health and social care professional.

We looked at four people’s care and support records and four staff personnel files. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as incident and accident records, meeting minutes, recruitment and training records, policies, audits and complaints.

Updated 14 February 2018

We undertook an inspection of Goldcare Professionals on 9 January 2018. The inspection was announced, which meant that the provider knew we would be visiting. This is because we wanted to ensure that the provider, or someone who could act on their behalf, would be available to support the inspection. The service registered to provide a regulated activity with the Care Quality Commission in January 2016. This was the service’s first inspection since registering, it had not been previously rated.

Goldcare Professionals provides personal care and support to older people in their own homes in the Keynsham and Saltford area. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people receiving personal care and support from the service.

A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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 not consistently safe as medicines records were not always sufficiently detailed. Guidance was not always in place of how to manage identified risks to people. Environmental risk assessments were in place but required further details. The service did not have a business continuity plan in place.

Quality audits were not in place to effectively monitor and improve the quality the service. Staff had not received supervision in line with the provider’s policy or regular team meetings. Staff were knowledgeable about identifying and reporting and safeguarding concerns. However, these had not always been reported to the Commission as required.

Staff were supported and developed in their role by an induction to the service and training. People were supported with their health needs and any concerns noted prompted actions to be taken. Staff supported people as directed in meeting people’s nutritional and hydration requirements.

People spoke positively about the kind and caring staff at the service. People had developed good relationships with staff and staff knew people well. Care and support was received as scheduled and people were informed of any changes.

Care plans were person centred and were reviewed regularly with people. People were involved with any changes made. The service was flexible and adaptable to people’s changing needs.

People and relatives felt comfortable in raising any issues and these were always dealt with promptly and to people’s satisfaction. The provider ensured information was effectively communicated to people and staff through emails, phone and text.

There was a positive staff culture, staff worked as part of a team and felt valued. People, relatives and staff commented positively on the registered manager and the caring approach of the organisation.

We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and one breach of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of this report.