Archived: Aspen Homecare Services

Updated 20 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: This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type: This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

Not everyone using Aspen Homecare Services receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks relating to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

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 24 hours’ notice to ensure we would be able to access the office.

What we did: Before we inspected the service, we reviewed information we held about the service, to help inform us about the level of risk for this service. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information is called a Provider Information Return and helps support our inspections. We also contacted the local safeguarding team, commissioners and Healthwatch to request their views of the service. Healthwatch is the independent national champion for people who use health and social care services.

During the inspection, we reviewed two peoples care records and three medication administration records. We also looked at a selection of documentation in relation to the management and running of the service. This included quality assurance audits, complaints, accident and incident records, recruitment information for three members of staff, staff training records and policies and procedures. Following the inspection, we spoke with some people on the telephone for their feedback.

We spoke with two people who used the service and two relatives. We also spoke with three members of staff, the registered manager and two directors.

Updated 20 March 2019

About the service: Aspen Homecare services provides support to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, a service was being provided to 23 older adults.

People’s experience of using this service: Systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service and drive improvement needed to be more robust. Staff training had not been completed in some areas and new staff’s inductions had been limited. Some staff had not received regular supervisions. Documentation was missing for how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 had been applied for one person who lacked capacity. We have made recommendations in these three areas.

There was a positive culture within the service and people felt the registered manager was approachable. Staff had awareness of safeguarding and knew how to raise concerns. Steps were taken to minimise risk where possible. Staff supported people to manage their medicines safely, although guidance was missing for staff about how to apply one person’s creams. Systems were in place to recruit staff safely.

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 supported people to access healthcare and maintain a nutritious diet.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the staff and the support they received. Staff were kind and promoted people’s independence and treated them with dignity and respect.

People’s care plans were kept up to date and reflected their individual needs and circumstances. People were supported in line with their preferences and supported to access the community, if chosen. The provider had a system in place for responding to people's concerns and complaints.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: This was the service's first planned inspection.

Why we inspected: We inspected this service in line with our inspection schedule.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor this service and inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule or sooner if we receive information of concern.