17 July 2015
During a routine inspection
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.