We carried out a review of the data available to us about Feelcare Domiciliary Services Ltd on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Feelcare Domiciliary Services Ltd, you can give feedback on this service.
Feelcare Domiciliary Services Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care support to people living within their own homes. There were 14 people using the service at the time of this inspection. Each of these people required assistance with their personal care to varying degrees. Some people required daily support and some less frequently.
Not everyone that used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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.
People’s safety was promoted because the service assessed, monitored and managed their safety well. Potential risks that people may face had been identified and were regularly reviewed. Assessments provided information about steps that care staff could take to support people to ensure that any potential risks were minimised.
The service had enough staff to cater for the needs of the people using the service. Pre-employment disclosure and barring service checks had been conducted for care staff. These checks helped to safeguard people using the service by ensuring that only suitable applicants were offered work with the service.
Some people using the service required help to take their medicines. The provider had ensured that staff had been trained and were assessed as competent to manage and administer medicines in a safe way.
People were protected from the risks associated with poor infection control because the service used effective infection, prevention, and control measures. Personal protective equipment, for example face masks, gloves, and hand sanitiser, were provided in suitable quantities to staff. Guidance and training for staff were provided and staff were assessed to ensure these skills were maintained.
The service completed an assessment of each person’s needs and personal wishes about how they were cared for. Care plans included guidance about meeting these needs and people provided their signed consent to be cared for by staff from the service.
There was a process in place to monitor and learn from accidents and incidents. Significant events had not taken place although the nominated individual told us if any events did occur these would be documented and reviewed in line with the service’s policy and guidance.
There was an effective training system in place. People were supported by staff who had received relevant induction training in evidence-based practice.
People’s nutritional needs were met. Care staff did support some people to prepare light meals on occasions although no-one currently required help to eat or drink. The service had taken steps to make sure people’s nutrition and hydration needs were assessed.
People’s health needs were met. Care staff were able to assist people to attend healthcare appointments if requested. Usually people themselves, with the assistance of a family member, managed these appointments independently.
Staff respected people’s choices, including those relevant to protected characteristics, for example, due to age, cultural and religious preferences.
Governance processes were effective and helped to assess, monitor and check the quality of the service provided to people.
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 was good, published on 17 May 2018.
This service was registered with us on 15 February 2017.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted due to concerns received about whether disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks were being conducted prior to staff being permitted to support people. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care for people living in their own houses and flats in the community. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting nine people. Not everyone using Feelcare receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.
There was a registered manager at the service. 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.
People’s care records contained sufficient information about their health and nutritional needs. Where people had complex nutritional needs, care records included appropriate instructions for care workers to provide safe care.
The provider’s quality assurance systems supported the delivery of good care. The registered manager visited people and reviewed daily notes on a weekly basis to ensure people were satisfied with their care and that records were up to date.
Staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Care workers obtained consent prior to supporting people and care records were signed by people using the service to demonstrate that they consented to their care.
People gave positive feedback about care workers. Care workers helped people maintain their independence and ensured people's privacy and dignity was respected and promoted.
Risk assessments and support plans contained detailed risk management guidelines for care workers.
Care staff understood people’s personal preferences and had a good understanding of their life histories. Care records included information about people’s hobbies and pastimes.
Care workers had received training in safeguarding people they supported from abuse and had a good understanding of the procedures in place.
People we spoke with told us they were involved in decisions about their care and how their needs were met.
The provider used safer recruitment procedures which helped ensure care workers were suitable to work with people. There were a sufficient number of suitable staff sent to assist people with their needs.
The provider had an appropriate complaints procedure in place.
Staff had the appropriate training to deliver effective care and support, and received support for their roles. There was an induction programme for new staff and ongoing supervisions to support care workers.
Care workers had a good understanding about infection control and had received appropriate training.