Archived: Drake Homecare Limited

Updated 28 September 2015

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.

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector, took place on 17 July 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location was a small domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager and two members of staff. We also spoke with one relative, and one social care professional, a community care worker, who had supported people who had received personal care from the service.

We looked at one record related to people’s individual care needs. This record included support plans, risk assessments and daily monitoring records. We also looked at two staff recruitment files and records associated with the management of the service, including quality audits.

Updated 28 September 2015

The inspection took place on 17 July 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location was a small domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

Drake Homecare Limited provides a personal care service to people living in their own home. On the day of the inspection one person was supported by Drake Homecare Limited with their personal care needs.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

Care records contained information that described what staff needed to do to provide personalised care and support. Staff responded quickly to people’s change in needs. Where appropriate friends, relatives and health and social care professionals were involved in identifying people’s needs. People’s preferences, life histories, disabilities and abilities were taken into account, communicated and recorded.

People’s risks were managed well and monitored. Policies and procedures were in place and understood by staff to help protect people and keep them safe.

People were encouraged and supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet.

People had their medicines managed safely and received their medicines as prescribed.

People, friends, relatives and staff were encouraged to be involved and help drive continuous improvements. This helped ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the service.

The service sought feedback from people and encouraged people to share their concerns and complaints. The registered manager confirmed that, whilst they had never received any form of complaint, if they did, they would investigate the matter thoroughly and use the outcome as an opportunity for learning to take place.

People were kept safe and protected from discrimination. All staff had undertaken training on safeguarding adults from abuse and equality and diversity. Staff displayed good knowledge on how to report any concerns and described what action they would take to protect people against harm.

Staff had received appropriate training in the Mental Capacity Act. Staff displayed a good understanding of the requirements of the act, which had been followed in practice.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Staff were appropriately trained and had the correct skills to carry out their roles effectively. The service followed safe recruitment practices to help ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff described the management as very open, supportive and approachable. Staff talked positively about their jobs.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place to help drive improvements and ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the service.