Paramount Options Ltd

Updated 20 December 2019

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

The 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

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 29 November 2019 when we visited the office location.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at the information we held about the provider, which included information about important events the provider had notified us about what had happened at the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We looked at the care records of the three people who used the service and the recruitment and training records for three care workers. We also looked at a variety of records to do with the running of the service.

After the inspection

We requested more information from the provider and continued to seek clarification to validate evidence found. We reviewed comments people had written online about the service. We spoke with two people who used the service, another person’s relative and an adult social care professional who has worked with the provider. We also spoke with three staff.

Updated 20 December 2019

About the service

Paramount Options Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to adults living in their own homes in the community. Not everyone using Paramount Options Ltd receives the 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 the service was providing care to three people.

People’s experience of using this service

People were happy with their care and support and told us staff were caring. People received consistent care from the same staff so they could develop trusting relationships with them. Staff treated them with respect and dignity.

People received care and support which was adapted to meet their needs. People had personalised care and risk management plans in place. These set out their likes and preferences for their care and their communication needs. People and relatives were able to give feedback and felt they were listened to when they did. The service worked with other agencies to make sure people received joined up care.

People were supported to be healthy and to access healthcare services. Staff supported people with their food and drinks appropriately, if they required this. Staff received training, support and supervision to provide care to meet people’s needs.

The provider had a suitable process in place for handling complaints and responding to these in a timely manner. 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.

The provider sought feedback from people and relatives and used this to develop the service. There were arrangements in place to check on and maintain the quality 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 2 August 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.