Background to this inspection
Updated
9 March 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took 18 December 2017. The inspection was completed by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using this type of care service.
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in. Before the inspection we reviewed records held by CQC which included notifications, complaints and any safeguarding concerns. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. This enabled us to ensure we were addressing potential areas of concern at the inspection.
The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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. This information was reviewed to see if we would need to focus on any particular areas at the service.
Before the inspection we contacted 10 people, or their relatives. We spoke with five staff, which included the manager (who was also the provider of the service). We also reviewed care and other records within the service. These included three care plans and associated records, three medicine administration records, three staff recruitment files, and the records of quality assurance checks carried out by the provider.
We also contacted commissioners of the service, and health care professionals to see if they had any information to share about the service. This was the first inspection of this service since they registered with the CQC.
Updated
9 March 2018
Woodleigh Healthcare Surrey Branch is a Domiciliary Care Agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults, younger disabled adults and children. People are supported with mental health needs, challenging behaviour, and learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection 30 people received care and support in accordance with the regulated activity of personal care.
The provider was the registered manager, and was present during the inspection. 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 a safe service from the Woodleigh Healthcare Surrey. There were sufficient numbers of staff who were appropriately trained to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Staff understood their duty should they suspect abuse was taking place, including the agencies that needed to be notified, such as the local authority safeguarding board or the police.
Staff recruitment procedures were safe. The provider had undertaken appropriate safety checks to ensure that only suitable staff were employed to support people in their own home. Staff said they felt supported to undertake their roles.
Staff managed the medicines in a safe way and were trained in the safe administration of medicines.
Where people did not have the capacity to understand or consent to a decision the provider had followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Staff understood that they had to gain people’s consent before they provided care, and that they could not make decisions for people.
People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. They received support from staff where a need had been identified.
People were supported to maintain good health. Staff understood that if people’s health deteriorated they would respond quickly. They would make sure they contacted the appropriate professionals to ensure people received effective treatment. Emergency plans were in place to deal with situations that may stop the service running, such as adverse weather.
Staff had a positive and caring attitude about their jobs. People told us that they were happy with the care and support they received. People told us that the staff were kind and caring and treated them with dignity and respect. The staff knew the people they cared for as individuals, and had a good rapport with relatives. All the staff we spoke with were happy in their work and proud of the job they do.
People received the care and support as detailed in their care plans. Care plans were based around the individual preferences of people as well as their medical, psychological and emotional needs. They gave a good level of detail for staff to reference if they needed to know what support was required.
People knew how to make a complaint. Staff knew how to respond to a complaint and welcomed them as an opportunity to improve the service.
The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care and support that people received. The provider had ensured that accurate records relating to the care and treatment of people and the overall management of the service were maintained.
The provider regularly visited people in their homes, or telephoned them to give people and staff an opportunity to talk, and to ensure a good standard of care was being provided to people.
Records for checks on health and safety, and medicines audits were all up to date. Accident and incident records were kept, and were analysed and used to improve the care provided to people.