Background to this inspection
Updated
21 August 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 planned this inspection to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Integrated Family Support is a domiciliary care agency providing care to people in their own homes.
At the time of our inspection the service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. There was an ‘acting’ manager in place. The service was in the process of recruiting a new manager for the service.
Notice of inspection
We carried out the inspection visit on 23rd July 2019. It was announced. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be available at their office.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed the information we held about the home which included statutory notifications and safeguarding alerts and the Provider Information Return (PIR), which the provider completed before the inspection. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We went to the service's office and spoke with the ‘acting’ manager, the principal officer and two family support workers. We looked at two care records and two staff records; we also looked at various documents relating to the management of the service. After the inspection visit we spoke to two relatives and one health care professional.
Updated
21 August 2019
About the service
Integrated Family Support is a domiciliary care agency providing personal and supportive care for children and young adults with learning and/or physical disabilities in their own homes.
Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection three people were receiving a personal care service.
People’s experience of using this service
People told us people they were happy with the care and support they received because they felt safe and all their needs were met by kind and caring staff.
People praised the managers of the service and agreed that they were approachable, knowledgeable, fair and did their job well. The staff team worked well together and supported the ‘acting’ manager.
The staff team was committed to providing a high-quality service and keeping people safe. They had undertaken training so that they were skilled and knowledgeable to effectively meet people’s needs. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any concerns.
Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well. Staff managed the risks to people’s health and welfare.
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 were given choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Care plans contained information about each person’s individual support needs and preferences in relation to their care and we found evidence of good outcomes for people. When people did not have the capacity to make their own decisions, staff maximised their involvement and made decisions in their best interests, in accordance with legislation.
Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the service.
Relatives and health care professionals told us staff were able to meet their needs and were respectful of their individual preferences. Relatives told us staff who supported their children were kind and caring.
Relatives confirmed the service did not miss any care calls and that staff were usually on time.
People received care and support from a small group of staff, which provided consistency.
The managers of the service actively sought the views of people and their relatives about the running of the service and they dealt promptly with any concerns that people raised.
The provider had systems in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.
More information is in the full report.
Rating at last inspection
At the last inspection we rated this service Good. The report was published on 12 January 2017.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor this service.