Background to this inspection
Updated
22 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 checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
The service had a manager who had applied to be registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that when a manager is registered, they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with two members of staff, the provider and the manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found, training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
22 August 2019
About the service
Premium Home Care Services Limited is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the provider confirmed the service was providing personal care to 32 older adults.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff went through a recruitment process so that the provider only employed suitable staff, though this process needed to be made more robust. Risks to people safety in premises had been assessed though there were no individual evacuation plans.
People felt safe with staff from the service. Staff understood how to protect people from the risk of harm and understood potential signs of abuse. People were involved in assessments of potential risks to their safety and in identifying measures to keep them safe. Care plans provided guidance for staff to follow.
People received their medicines as prescribed and they were protected from the risk of infections through staff working practices. People had enough staff to meet their needs. Staff undertook induction training that supported them to have the knowledge and skills to do their job well and effectively meet people’s needs.
People were provided with care and support that ensured they had good nutrition and hydration. They had access to healthcare that maintained their health and wellbeing. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.
Staff knew people well, though there was some lack of personal history information in care plans. People had developed positive relationships with staff which helped to ensure good communication and support. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and encouraged people to be as independent as possible.
People were fully involved and consulted when making changes to how their support was provided. Staff knew and understood the needs of the people using the service and care was provided based on their assessed needs. Staff were responsive to changes in people's needs to ensure people received timely intervention to maintain their health and well-being.
People and relatives knew how to raise any concerns or make a complaint. The provider responded to complaints by detailed investigation and solutions to put things right. The complaints policy provided information about how these would be managed and responded to.
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of care and support people experienced through quality assurance systems and processes to drive improvements within the service.
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management and leadership of the service. People said staff were very friendly and caring, and they had built good relationships with them.
The provider listened to feedback and acted immediately to make improvements to the service. The service worked in partnership with external agencies to ensure people achieved good outcomes from their care and support.
Rating at last inspection:
The last inspection on 26 October 2016 rated the service as good.
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk