Archived: Headstart Employment Limited

Updated 21 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 place on 8 February 2018 and was announced. We told the provider one day before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the registered manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be in. One inspector undertook the inspection.

Before the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service including statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that occurred at the service. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. In addition we reviewed the 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. We used this information to plan the inspection.

We gathered information by speaking on the telephone with three people who used the service, the director, the registered manager and two members of staff. We looked at the five people’s care records and four staff records and we reviewed records related to the management of the service. After this inspection we spoke with a commissioner of this service.

Updated 21 March 2018

We undertook an announced inspection on 8 February 2018. At our previous inspection on 3 December 2015 we rated the service ‘good’ overall and in all five key questions. At this inspection we found the service continued to be ‘good’.

Headstart is a service which is registered to provide personal care to adults in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were five people using this service.

The registered manager remained 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.

The service was safe. Risk assessments were completed to enable people to receive care with a minimum of risk to themselves or the staff. Robust recruitment procedures were followed to ensure as far as possible only suitable staff were employed. Staff were trained to safeguard and protect people. They were aware of their responsibility to report concerns.

The service was effective. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received training to support people to meet their needs. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to eat and drink enough to ensure they maintained a balanced diet and referrals to other health professionals were made when required.

The service was caring. People were cared for and supported by staff who knew them well. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. People's views were actively sought and they were involved in making decisions about their care and support.

The service was responsive. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis and also when there was a change in care needs. The registered manager responded to complaints received in a timely manner.

The service was well led. There was a positive culture within the staff team and staff spoke positively about their work. Staff were complimentary about the management team and how they were supported to carry out their work. The director, registered manager and staff were committed to providing a good service for people. There were quality assurance systems in place to help ensure any areas for improvement were identified and action taken to continuously improve the quality of the service provided. People told us they were regularly asked for their views about the quality of the service they received.