Abide Home Care

Updated 7 March 2023

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

The inspection team was made up of one inspector, an assistant inspector and two Experts by Experience. 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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there were two registered managers’ in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 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 1 February 2023 and ended on 6 February 2023. We visited the office location on 1 February 2023 and spoke with people and their relatives on 6 February 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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

During the inspection we reviewed 6 people’s care records and risk assessments. We looked at various medicine administration records, 3 staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. We also reviewed other records relating to the management of the service, including audits. We spoke with the registered managers and seven members of care staff. We spoke with 8 people and 9 relatives of people who were receiving personal care and support and received feedback from one external professional.

Updated 7 March 2023

About the service

Abide Home Care Ltd (thereafter referred to as Abide Home Care) is a domiciliary care service, which provides care and support to people living in their own homes. The service provides support to older adults. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection there were 59 people using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe. Staff knew what actions to take to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm and had received safeguarding training. Robust recruitment processes were established, and staff competency was checked to ensure people received safe care. Staff followed infection control guidance and had access to personal protective equipment.

Care records were completed in conjunction with people and their relatives and, risk assessments were reflective of people’s needs. Medicine administration records were up to date to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. People told us they were supported by staff who were kind and caring. People felt engaged in all aspects of their care and said they felt assured that any complaint or concern would be handled by the management team appropriately.

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.

Audits and checks were embedded into staff practice to oversee the quality of care provided. People were asked for their feedback about the quality of service and this was used to make improvements.

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 the service at the previous premises was good, published on 20/12/2017.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

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