We carried out a review of the data available to us about Leaf Care Services 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 Leaf Care Services, you can give feedback on this service.
Leaf Care is a homecare service providing personal care to people within 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 the inspection, approximately 50 people were receiving personal care from the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and managed well. There were enough staff available to visit people when they required this and people received their medicines when they needed them.
The staff had received appropriate training and demonstrated they had the skills and knowledge to provide people with good quality care. People were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs. Staff were vigilant to people’s health and contacted the relevant professionals when required. People’s consent had been sought in line with the relevant legislation.
Staff were kind and caring and treated people with compassion. People saw regular staff so they could develop caring and trusting relationships with them. People’s independence was encouraged, and they were supported to remain in their own home as much as possible.
People and relatives were happy with the quality of care being provided. The care they received met their individual needs and preferences. 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.
People had a voice which was listened to and respected. Complaints were actively encouraged to facilitate learning. People and staff felt no concern at voicing their opinions or giving feedback.
Good leadership was in place. An open culture had been embedded within the service where staff felt valued and people who used the service were treated as individuals. Robust governance processes were in place to drive improvement. The provider was keen to continuously learn and improve the care people received.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published August 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 received visits from consistent staff at their preferred times and for the duration they had agreed. People were supported by staff who received on-going training and guidance for their roles. Feedback indicated satisfaction with the care provided by staff.
Care plans were developed and maintained for people who used the service. Care plans covered support needs and personal preferences. Plans were reviewed and updated at regular intervals and information was sought from appropriate professionals as and when required.
Risk assessments were in place to help protect people from avoidable harm. Assessments contained detailed guidance for staff about how to minimise the risk of harm whilst protecting people's rights and freedoms.
Staff had been trained in safeguarding topics. The registered manager had a good understanding of safeguarding processes and followed these in practice. Thorough recruitment processes were followed before staff started work. This reduced the risk of unsuitable people being employed.
The service acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) when necessary. People were supported to make their own choices and this was reflected in their care records. Some care records would benefit from further clarity in relation to what decisions people were able to make for themselves.
People were supported by well trained, skilled staff. Staff supervision, meetings and appraisals were taking place on a routine basis, which meant staff had the opportunity to reflect on and develop their practice. Training was provided for staff to enable them to carry out their tasks effectively. The service was working proactively to identify staff training needs. Staff praised the training on offer.
Medicines were safely managed. Medicine records were completed correctly, and checks of these were undertaken on a regular basis. This meant if any errors were made they could be addressed quickly. The service had a medicines champion (a person with increased knowledge of medicines) in post who supported staff to raise any queries or learning needs they had in relation to managing people’s medicines.
People were supported to seek further healthcare support as required to promote their health.
The registered manager had implemented a range of assurance systems to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the service provided. Systems were in place to seek feedback from all people who used the service as a means to develop and improve service delivery.
Staff were positive about ways in which the service was managed and the support received from the management team. They described a positive working environment. There was clear leadership and management at this service. The registered manager was described as approachable and part of the team; they promoted the values of the service and we saw that they led by example.