Background to this inspection
Updated
20 December 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it was small and the registered manager was often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
Inspection site visit activity started on 1 November 2017 and ended on 17 November 2017. One inspector carried out the inspection. We visited the office location on 1 November 2017 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review records and policies and procedures.
We spoke with the managing director, registered manager, deputy manager and two care staff. We also reviewed the care records of three people using the service and staff recruitment and training records for three care staff working for the service.
Following the site visit we spoke with four people using the service or their relatives by telephone. We also received comments from one external healthcare professional by email.
Updated
20 December 2017
SOS Professional Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It was providing a service to ten people at the time of this inspection.
A registered manager was 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 and their relatives told us that staff were kind, respectful and caring. They said that the service provided was consistent, of high quality and personalised to people’s individual needs. The service asked people about the care they wanted and involved them in making day to day decisions about the support being provided, helping them remain independent where appropriate.
People and their relatives told us that they had regular staff visiting who were punctual and communicated well with them. They said they would recommend the service to others.
There were systems to safeguard people from abuse. Staff completed safeguarding training and knew how to report any concerns.
People were supported by staff who were trained and well supported in their job roles. Staff members had been safely recruited and had received an induction to the service.
Staff had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) for the prevention and control of infection.
Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and understood the importance of gaining people’s consent before assisting them.
The service completed assessments of people’s needs and these were used to inform the care plan for each person. The service kept people’s needs under review and made changes as required.
People and their relatives felt able to raise any concerns or complaints. There was a procedure in place for people to follow if they wanted to raise any issues.
The service promoted a culture that was person centred, open and inclusive. People using the service and their relatives said that SOS Professional Homecare Ltd was well managed and responsive to their needs.
We have made recommendations about improving the management of risk and making sure that all staff receive regular documented supervision.