Abicare Service Ltd

Updated 2 October 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

This inspection was completed by an inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that 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.

Inspection activity started on 13 September 2019 and ended on 17 September 2019. We visited the office location on 16 and 17 September 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. 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 three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with members of staff including the registered manager, locality manager, care services operations manager and three care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three 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.

Updated 2 October 2019

About the service

Abicare is a domiciliary care agency. 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

Processes and systems were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse, staff understood what to report and how. Incidents were reported and reviewed and any learning for staff was shared. Staff assessed potential risks to people and these were managed safely. There were sufficient, suitable staff to provide people’s care. The provider took prompt and effective action during the inspection to address issues in relation to staffing records. People’s medicines were properly and safely managed by trained staff. People were protected from the risk of acquiring an infection.

People’s care was assessed to establish their care and support needs. Staff were well supported within their role, through their induction, training and on-going support. Staff ensured people received sufficient food and drink for their needs. Staff made sure people’s healthcare needs were identified and appropriate referrals were made. 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.

Staff treated people with kindness and respect. People were supported to express their views about their care and their wishes were respected. People’s privacy and dignity were respected and promoted during the delivery of their care.

People received personalised care that was responsive to their needs and preferences. Processes were in place to enable people to raise complaints and these were responded to, in order to improve people’s experience of the care provided. The service was not providing end of life care but training was available to staff if required.

There was a positive culture within the service. The provider had put in extra management for the service and staff felt well supported in their role. There was good communication with people and staff. There was a shared understanding of risks and regulatory requirements. Processes were in place to engage people and staff with the service and to seek their views, which were used to drive service improvements. Processes were in place to ensure the provider had oversight of the performance of the service. The service worked in co-operation with key organisations to ensure the safe and effective delivery of people’s care.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 16 October 2018).

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.