Background to this inspection
Updated
26 February 2019
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.
This inspection took place on 2 and 4 January 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available to meet with us. We visited the office location on the 2 January and made telephone calls to a person’s relative and staff on the 4 January.
The inspection team consisted of one inspector.
Before the inspection, the registered manager 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. The registered manager returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report.
We reviewed the information we held about the service, including statutory notifications that the provider had sent us. A statutory notification provides information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We contacted health and social care commissioners who place and monitor the care of people in receipt of domiciliary support. We also contacted Healthwatch England, the national consumer champion in health and social care, to identify if they had any information which may support our inspection.
We spoke with the relative of one person using the service. We also spoke with the registered manager and two care staff. We looked at records relating to all aspects of the service including care, staffing, and quality assurance. We also looked at one person’s care records and two staff recruitment records.
Updated
26 February 2019
This announced inspection took place on 2 and 4 January 2019. Call4Care Services Limited was first registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 5 January 2018; this was the first comprehensive inspection of the service.
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 adults. At the time of inspection, one person was receiving twenty-four-hour personal care support in their own home.
Not everyone using Call4Care Services may receive 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.
There was a registered manager in post, they were also the provider. 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 were supported in a safe way. Staff understood the signs of abuse and the procedures they should follow to report abuse. All the staff we spoke with were confident that any concerns they raised would be followed up appropriately by the registered manager. People had risk assessments in place to cover any risks that were present within their lives, but also enabled them to be as independent as possible.
Staff recruitment procedures ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out to ensure only suitable staff worked at the service. References and security checks were carried out as required. Staffing levels were planned individually for each person, which ensured continuity of care. Staffing rotas showed that staffing was consistent.
There were safe systems in place for the administration of medicines and people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff supported people in a way which prevented the spread of infection. Staff used the appropriate personal protective equipment to perform their roles safely.
Staff attended induction training where they completed a basic level of mandatory training. We have made a recommendation about training provision.
Staff were well supported by the registered manager, and had regular one to one supervisions.
Where needed staff supported people to have access to suitable food and drink. Staff supported people with health appointments when necessary. Health professionals were involved with people's care as and when required.
People were involved in planning their own care as much as possible, and were able to contribute to the way in which they were supported. Care planning was personalised and considered people's likes and dislikes, so that staff understood their needs fully. People were in control of their care and listened to by staff.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect and spent time getting to know them and their specific needs and wishes. People’s care was provided in a respectful and dignified manner.
The service had a complaints procedure in place. This ensured people and their relatives were able to provide feedback about their care to help the service make improvements where required.
Quality monitoring systems and processes were in place and audits were taking place within the service to identify where improvements could be made.
The service worked in partnership with other agencies to ensure people received the care they required. Communication was open and honest, and improvements were highlighted and worked upon as required.