18 May 2017
During a routine inspection
Carewatch (Lincoln) provides care for people in their own homes. The service can provide care for adults of all ages. It can assist people who live with dementia or who have mental health needs. It can also support people who have a learning disability, special sensory needs or a physical disability. At the time of our inspection the service was providing care for approximately 300 people most of whom were older people. The service covered Lincoln City and Gainsborough including some villages in between for example Saxilby.
There was not a registered manager in post. The provider was in the process of registering a new manager with CQC. 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 did not always receive their visits at the times they expected. Communication with the office was not always effective.
Medicine records were completed to show that people had received their medicines.
Possible risks to people’s health and safety had been managed. Risk assessments and plans to manage the risks were usually in place.
Staff had the knowledge and skills they needed in order to care for people in the right way. A process was in place to monitor training and ensure staff were kept updated.
The registered persons and staff were following the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). This measure is intended to ensure that people are supported to make decisions for themselves. When this is not possible the Act requires that decisions are taken in people’s best interests.
People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect.
People had been consulted about the care they wanted to receive. Care was assessed in a consistent way. Records did not consistently reflect people’s care needs.
People had been consulted about the service. People knew how to complain. Staff were able to speak out if they had any concerns about poor practice.