Archived: Heartwood Domiciliary Care Ltd

Updated 13 March 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide 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 provided personal care to children living in their own homes. The 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.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of our inspection. 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. The provider informed us prior to our inspection that the previous registered manager had left their role and a new manager was in the process of being recruited and registered.

Notice of inspection:

Our inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice as we needed to be sure someone would be available to support us with the inspection. The inspection was carried out on 31 January 2019.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we already held about this service including details of its registration. We viewed a Provider Information Return which is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we viewed care records including people's care plans and risk assessments; records relating to the management of the service, such as staff training records, staff duty rosters, four care plans and medicine records. We spoke with the operations manager, the service manager and a member of staff. After the inspection, we spoke with two relatives and contacted social care professionals for their feedback. We were unable to speak to children due to their specific needs.

Updated 13 March 2019

About the service:

Heartwood Domiciliary Care agency provides personal care and support to 3 children aged under 16, at the time of the inspection.

People's experience of using the service:

Children and their relatives were happy with the service they received.

The care children received was safe. Risks to them were identified, assessed and guidance was in place to help minimise these risks. Children and relatives received compassionate support from kind and caring staff. Children’s needs were met and their privacy and dignity was respected. Their independence was promoted by staff when it was safe for them to do so. Children received consistent care that was responsive to their needs. They had regular care staff, at call times they were happy with.

Care plans were devised for each child, which were personalised according tot heir needs and wishes.

Staff were supported and told us they had received training and development for their roles. Staff were recruited safely and received an induction prior to starting work.

Staff supported children to maintain their nutrition and hydration. Children had access to healthcare professionals such as nurses and GPs.

The service was responsive to any concerns or comments raised and learned when things had gone wrong.

Quality assurance processes were in place to ensure the service was safe.

The management team was committed to making improvements and operated an open and well led culture within the service.

More information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection: This was the first inspection since the location registered with us on 26 February 2018.

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection. We inspected the service because it had yet to be inspected since it first became registered.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care.