Background to this inspection
Updated
16 May 2020
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
The service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and other support to people living in their own houses and flats.
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 the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 23 September 2019 and ended on 8 October 2019. We visited the office on 23 and 24 September, and 8 October 2019. We gathered other evidence until 22 October 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, which included any notifications of significant incidents which the provider is required by legislation to report to us. 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.
During the inspection
The inspector carried out three home visits to meet three people who were receiving reablement and one relative. We also spoke with nine reablement staff, the registered manager, an occupational therapist and the nominated individual, who is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. Additionally, we spoke with nine health and social care professionals employed by the provider or the local healthcare trust, who worked closely with the reablement staff team to support people using the service. These professionals included physiotherapists and social workers.
We looked at a variety of records, which included nine people’s care plans and accompanying risk assessments. We checked six staff files in relation to recruitment, supervision, training and professional development. A range of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed, which included audits conducted by the provider and feedback questionnaires completed by people who used the service and their relatives.
After the inspection
We spoke by telephone with four people and three relatives, and received written comments from six health and social care professionals. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
16 May 2020
About the service
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a reablement service for adults aged 18 and above. The service supports people for up to six weeks to regain their independent living skills and confidence, usually following a hospital admission or after a short period of care and treatment from community healthcare professionals in their own home. There were 45 people using the service at the time of this inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke extremely positively about the quality of care and support they received from the service. Comments included, “They are better than 100%, terrific” and “I never thought I would be as independent as I am now and can go out, managing with a bit of help from my family for the heavier jobs indoors.” People told us the service gave them confidence and new ways of coping following ill health, and they would not hesitate to recommend the service to others.
People were involved as much as possible with the planning of their reablement goals. Each person was provided with an individual plan of care, which reflected their own aims, preferences and unique circumstances. There was individual guidance to mitigate any risks to people's safety.
People benefitted from receiving their care and support from a dedicated, experienced and well qualified staff team. Staffing levels were arranged to ensure people had the time they needed to work towards meeting their goals. Staff told us they found their roles immensely rewarding and they felt appreciated by people and their relatives, and their employer.
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 service was forward thinking and innovative. The provider continuously looked for ways of improving their partnership working with the community NHS Trust and other organisations, so that people received excellent outcomes. For example, people could receive overnight care in their own homes if required, so that they could leave hospital and commence reablement without any unnecessary delays.
People, and their relatives where applicable, were asked to provide their views through questionnaires and surveys. There were also local forums organised by the provider which people could choose to take part in. Complaints and concerns raised by people or other relevant parties were taken seriously by the service.
People and their relatives thought the service was exceptionally well managed. This view was also expressed by external local health care professionals who were very pleased with how the service operated and capably met people’s needs.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 22 March 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor the 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.