We carried out a review of the data available to us about Helping Hands Richmond 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 Helping Hands Richmond, you can give feedback on this service.
Helping Hands Richmond is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 20 people. The service provides support to older people and those with dementia.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe and that they were well cared for by the staff that visited them. Effective measures were in place for infection prevention and control. Any potential risks to people were reviewed, and the clinical team ensured there was clear guidance for staff.
Staff were recruited safely and received regular training and competency assessments. People were supported to access healthcare professionals when they needed to. Where people needed support with eating, drinking or meal preparation the service supported this.
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.
Staff respected people’s diverse needs and treated them with privacy and dignity. People spoke highly of the care they received.
People received care that met their preferences and supported them to be independent where possible. Complaints were promptly responded to.
The service was well managed by a registered manager who took a person-centred approach. Staff worked together as a team and their development was encouraged by the provider. Quality assurances systems effectively monitored the running of the service.
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 this service was good (published 16 November 2018)
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.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults and those with physical disabilities.
Not everyone using Helping Hands Richmond receives 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. At the time of our inspection 10 people were receiving support from the service.
There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 received care that was delivered in a safe way, by staff that had been securely vetted. Risks to people were regularly reviewed to ensure that risks were mitigated. Staff knew the action to take if they suspected anyone to be at risk of abuse, and the provider took appropriate action. Any incidents or accidents were investigated to ensure that the likelihood of reoccurrence was reduced. Medicines were administered to people safely, and records showed that people received them at the times that they needed them. Appropriate steps were taken to manage infection control.
Staff received appropriate training to conduct their role through training, supervision and appraisal of their role. People received support to access meals of their choosing and had access to healthcare professionals. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the provider ensured these were followed. The staff team worked together to ensure that people’s needs were met effectively.
People and relatives felt that the care they received was compassionate and kind. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity when supporting them. People were involved in decisions about their care, and were encourage to carry out the tasks they were able to, in order to remain independent.
The provider was responsive to people’s needs and ensured that their care needs were regularly reviewed. Care plans reflected people’s preferences and demonstrated their involvement in the planning of their care. People were supported to express any end of life wishes. People and relatives knew how to complaint should they need to.
The registered manager was thought of highly by staff, and they felt supported to carry out their roles. Quality assurance systems were effective in identifying areas for improvement and driving the quality of the service forward. The registered manager took steps to work with other organisations to ensure people received the support they required.