Archived: Unique Herts Care

Unique Herts Care is a domiciliary (home care) agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. Not everyone using Unique Herts Care received the regulated activity of 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. There were 14 people receiving the regulated activity of personal care at the time of the inspection.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they felt safe. Staff received training in safeguarding and knew how to report their concerns both internally and externally. Risks were managed appropriately. Staff were provided with regular guidance and support from the management team.

Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to meet people's needs. They received regular training and were positive about their induction to the service.

People were supported to manage their medicines appropriately. Any health needs were clearly identified in people's care plans. Staff ensured that people were supported to access health services, where required.

People and relatives told us that staff were caring. People received care in a way that promoted their dignity and encouraged independence.

Care plans were developed when people started using the service and were personalised. People told us that staff were responsive to their needs and supported them in the way they wanted.

The provider had implemented effective audits and governance systems to check the quality and safety of the care people received. This allowed for the effective monitoring of patterns and trends and for learning to take place.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at Last Inspection

At our last inspection, the service was rated Good (published 30 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure people receive safe, compassionate, high quality Care. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Unique Herts Care is a domiciliary care service that is registered to provide personal care. This domiciliary care service enables people to continue living independently in their own home. At the time of the inspection twenty one people were using the service.

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 felt safe. Staff had received training to enable them to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and knew how to report them, protecting people from avoidable harm and abuse.

People had risk assessments in place to enable them to be as independent as they could be whilst being kept safe.

There were sufficient staff, with the correct skill mix, on duty to support people with their needs.

Effective recruitment processes were in place and followed by the service to ensure staff employed were suitable for the role.

Medicines were managed safely. The processes in place ensured that the administration and handling of medicines was suitable for the people who used the service. Some people administered their own medication.

Staff received a comprehensive induction process and on-going training. They were well supported by the registered manager and had regular one to one time for supervisions and annual appraisals. Staff had attended a variety of training to ensure they were able to provide care based on current practice when supporting people.

Staff gained consent before supporting people and had signed consent within their care plans. People were supported to make decisions about all aspects of their life; this was underpinned by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People were able to make choices about the food and drink they had, and staff gave support when required.

People were supported to access a variety of additional health professionals when required. Staff provided care and support in a caring and meaningful way. They knew the people who used the service well. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of their care and support. People’s privacy and dignity was maintained at all times.

A complaints procedure was in place and accessible to all. People knew how to complain. Effective quality monitoring systems were in place. A variety of audits were carried out and used to drive improvement.