Sublime Care

Updated 22 August 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

We visited the office location on 22 May 2018 to see the registered manager, office staff and to review care records and policies and procedures. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice as we needed to be sure that the registered manager was available. After the site visit was complete we then made calls to people who used the service, their relatives and care workers who were not present at the site visit.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service which included notifications that the provider is required to send to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

At the time of our inspection there were eight people using the service, four of whom were receiving personal care. We spoke with one person and five of their relatives on the telephone. We spoke with two care workers in person during our inspection. We also spoke with the registered manager, a newly appointed manager for the service and an administrative assistant. We looked at a sample of three people’s care records, four staff records and records related to the management of the service.

Updated 22 August 2018

We conducted an inspection of Sublime Care on 22 May 2018. This was our first inspection of the service since it was registered in June 2017.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care for people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to people of all ages. At the time of the inspection they were supporting eight people. Not everyone using Sublime Care 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 a good level of information about their medical histories. People were supported with their nutritional needs where this formed part of their package of care.

The provider’s quality assurance systems supported the delivery of good care. The registered manager sought people’s feedback in relation to the care they were receiving and conducted regular, unannounced spot checks of service delivery.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Care records were signed by people using the service to demonstrate that they consented to their care.

The provider had an appropriate safeguarding policy and procedure in place. Care staff had a good understanding of how to meet their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse.

People and their relatives gave good feedback about care workers. Care workers supported people to live as independently as they wanted and ensured that their privacy and dignity was respected.

Risk assessments and support plans contained enough information for care workers to mitigate known risks and provide safe care.

Care staff knew the needs and preferences of people they supported. They developed good relationships and supported them to meet their social needs when possible.

People and their relatives were involved in the creation and implementation of their care plan.

The provider practiced safer recruitment procedures to help ensure that staff were suitable to work with people. The registered manager ensured there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet people’s needs.

The provider had an appropriate complaints procedure in place. Care staff were given appropriate support through training and supervisions to meet people’s needs. The provider had an appropriate induction process for new care staff.