Devoted To Care LTD

Updated 5 January 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 checked 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 12 December 2017. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available.

The inspection was carried out by an inspector. Before the inspection we contacted people who used the service and their relatives by telephone. These phone calls were made by an expert-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.

Before the inspection visit we looked at all the information we held about the service. This included information obtained from the provider as part of their registration. We spoke with three people who used the service and the relatives of four other people.

During the inspection visit we met the registered manager. We looked at the care files for three people who used the service. We also looked at the recruitment, training and support records for three members of staff and other records used by the provider which included records of quality monitoring, meeting minutes and concerns.

Updated 5 January 2018

The inspection took place on 12 December 2017. We gave the provider notice 48 hours before the inspection as the service provided personal care to people in their own homes and we wanted to be certain someone would be available to assist with the inspection.

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in May 2017.

Devoted to Care LTD is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. The agency is a private company. At the time of the inspection eight older people were using the service. People's needs included dementia and care and support with physical disabilities and health conditions.

The registered manager was also the owner of the organisation. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People using the service and their representatives were happy with the service and told us they would recommend it to others. People found their care workers were kind, considerate and respectful and had good relationships with them. They told us that they were supported to be as independent as they wanted to be and able to make choices about their care. They regularly met with the registered manager and were able to give feedback about the service and ask for changes to their care plans. People said that their privacy and dignity were respected.

People felt safe and told us their care workers arrived on time and cared for them safely. They received their medicines safely and as prescribed. The risks to their wellbeing had been assessed and planned for. There were enough staff to keep people safe and meet their needs. There were procedures designed to protect people from the risk of abuse. The staff were aware of good infection control procedures and wore protective equipment, such as gloves and aprons, when providing care.

People's needs had been assessed in line with good practice guidance and they had been able to express their views and preferences. They had consented to their care and treatment. People were given the support they needed to meet healthcare needs and the staff liaised with other healthcare professionals as needed. People's nutritional needs were being met. Each person had a care plan which outlined their needs and these were regularly reviewed.

The staff were appropriately trained, supported and supervised. The registered manager worked alongside the care workers providing care and support to people. They carried out spot checks to observe how the staff performed. They also met with the staff to appraise their work and give them opportunities to discuss their own career development.

People using the service, their representatives and the staff were invited to share their views about the service and give feedback about areas they felt could be improved. The registered manager had a good relationship with all stakeholders. People using the service and staff were provided with copies of key policies and procedures. Records kept by the service were up to date, accurate and stored appropriately. The provider used computerised systems to help monitor the service. People told us they knew how to make a complaint but were keen to stress that they had never needed to.