Homecare Southlodge

Updated 23 August 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors. An Expert by Experience made calls to people.

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.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 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 22 July 22 and ended on 29 July 22. We visited the location’s office on 22 July 22.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager. We looked at three people’s care records, three staff files and a range of other documents relating to the running of the service. Following our inspection we received feedback from one person, eight relatives and four care staff.

Updated 23 August 2022

About the service

Homecare Southlodge is a domiciliary care agency providing regulated activity personal care to 13 older people, some of which had disabilities. Care was delivered to people in their own homes.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received safe care, with any potential risks managed well. Medicines were safely administered with the provider ensuring any accidents or incidents were appropriately responded to. Staff understood how to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Staff were safely recruited.

Staff received appropriate training and supervision to enable them to carry out their roles. People received additional support from healthcare professionals and were supported to maintain healthy diets.

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 were compassionate and knew their jobs well. People felt well cared for and that their privacy and dignity was respected. Where they were able to, people were supported to be independent.

Care record were personalised and guided staff to ensure they could respond to individualised need. People were supported to express their end of life wishes. Any complaints were appropriately responded to.

The registered manager had good oversight and management of the service. They understood their responsibilities and worked in partnership to achieve positive outcomes.

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 good (published 18 December 2019)

Why we inspected

This inspection was based on the previous rating of the service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.