Background to this inspection
Updated
4 February 2020
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
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 7 January 2020 and ended on 7 January 2020. We visited the office location on 7 January 2020.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We also spoke with professionals from the local authority who had had been involved with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited the homes and spoke with both people who received care and support. We also spoke with one person’s relative during these visits. We spoke with three members of staff and the registered manager who is also the registered provider. We reviewed a range of records including two peoples care records, staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
4 February 2020
About the service
Connie’s Care Services Ltd is a home care service providing personal care to two people in their own homes at the time of the inspection. Both people received the regulated activity of 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
Improvements had been made to assessment of risks to people although further work was needed to ensure moving and handling plans contained enough detail. The registered manager was not up to date with best practice guidance for the safe handling of people in social care.There were enough staff, who were safely recruited, they knew how to keep people safe from avoidable harm. People felt safe with the staff supporting them. Staff understood how to reduce risks to people.
Improvements needed to be made to the responding to and raising of potential safeguarding concerns to ensure that these were raised without delay.The registered manager was implementing changes to ensure this took place. Staff understood how to raise concerns and had undertaken training in safeguarding vulnerable adults.
People had access to health professionals when needed. Support was planned to meet people’s assessed nutritional and health needs. Staff received regular training, supervision and support. Staff ensured that they sought peoples consent before providing them with care and support.
Staff were kind, caring and promoted people’s dignity. Staff understood the importance of treating people with respect and ensured they did this. People were observed to have good relationships with the staff team.
Appropriate and responsive care was provided to people by staff who understood person-centred care. Staff knew the content of people's care plans before supporting them, helping them to understand their care requirements and preferences. People's care plans were reviewed and updated following changes in their needs, however current best practice guidance was not always reflected. Improvements to the recording of complaints and their outcomes was to be implemented.
The registered manager had implemented improvements following recent lessons learnt, although further improvements are required. The registered manager did not have up to date knowledge around best practice guidance and did not access any forum to enable them to do so.
We have made a recommendation in relation to this.
People, relatives and staff told us they had an open relationship with the registered manager and found them approachable. Some professionals we spoke with raised concerns the registered manager was not always approachable when concerns were raised to them.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection (and update)
The last rating for this service was Inadequate (Published 15 July 2019) and there were three breaches of regulations. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
This service has been in Special Measures since 15 July 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Connie’s Care Services Ltd on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.