Archived: Serenity Health Care

Updated 14 July 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 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 30 May 2017 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to meet with us and show us records. One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection.

Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, safeguarding notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to the Commission by law. We also contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and safeguarding staff. We also contacted Healthwatch. Healthwatch is the local consumer champion for health and social care services. They give consumers a voice by collecting their views, concerns and compliments through their engagement work. Information provided by these professionals was used to inform the inspection.

During our inspection we spoke with one person who used the service and two family members. We also spoke with the provider and two care staff.

We looked at the care records of four people who used the service and observed how people were being cared for. We also looked at the personnel files for three members of staff and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 14 July 2017

This inspection took place on 30 May 2017 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to meet with us and show us records.

Serenity Health Care provides care and support to people in their own homes. On the day of our inspection there were five people using the service.

Under their registration with the Commission, the provider is not required to have a registered manager in post as they are an individual in day to day charge of the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like 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.

Serenity Health Care had not previously been inspected by CQC.

The provider had an appropriate policy and procedure in place for dealing with accidents and incidents. Risk assessments were in place for people who used the service and staff, and these described potential risks and the safeguards in place.

The provider was aware of their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and staff had been trained in how to protect vulnerable adults.

Appropriate procedures were in place to ensure people received medicines safely and as prescribed.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions.

The provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

Staff supported people at meal times and people’s dietary preferences were recorded.

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care provided by Serenity Health Care. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were in place, however, some records were not regularly reviewed or kept up to date.

None of the people who used the service were supported to access the local community, however, staff carried out social calls to keep people company.

People who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint, however, there had been no formal complaints recorded at the service.

Staff felt supported by the provider and were comfortable raising any concerns. People who used the service and family members were positive about the provider and staff and told us communication was good.

The provider did not have an appropriate audit or quality assurance process in place, which meant they were unable to assess and monitor the quality of the service.

We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, namely Regulation 17, entitled Good governance. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.