H & M Care Agency Ltd

Updated 12 March 2021

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 conducted 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

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We also sought feedback from the local authority. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. 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. We took this into account in making our judgements in this report.

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 reviewed a range of records which included three people’s care records and two medicines records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We also spoke with one person using the service, three relatives, four staff and one social care professional about their experience of the service.

Updated 12 March 2021

About the service

H&M Care Agency Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. The majority of people were funded by the local authority. At the time of our inspection seven people were using the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had systems in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and staff knew how to respond to possible safeguarding concerns. Risk assessments were in place. The provider followed safe recruitment procedures and medicines were managed safely. Staff followed appropriate infection prevention and control practices.

Staff were supported to provide effective care through induction, training and supervision. The provider assessed people's needs to ensure these could be met. 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.

Care plans provided details of people’s preference for care and support and their current interests. There was a complaints procedure in place and the provider knew how to respond to complaints.

The provider had systems in place to monitor, manage and improve service delivery and to improve the care and support provided to people. People, relatives and staff reported the registered manager was available and responsive.

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 requires improvement (published 21 June 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

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.