We carried out a review of the data available to us about Always Care on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Always Care, you can give feedback on this 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
Regular training for staff was now up to date and in place for all staff. This meant staff were effectively trained to ensure they were fully competent in their work.
Quality monitoring systems and processes were in place and were now effective. These were used to review feedback and to check care delivery, staff performance and training.
People said they continued to be well cared for and safely supported. Examples of comments made by people and relatives included, “I would recommend the service, happy with what they are doing, no problems”, “Absolutely recommend them, if any concerns or help required they put it right” and “Would give them thirty out of ten.”
People were safe with the staff who supported them. Staff were guided to keep people safe by up to date risk assessments showing how to reduce risks. The staff had an up to date understanding of safeguarding. This meant they knew what to do to keep people safe if they thought they were vulnerable to abuse.
There was a system to monitor and learn from accidents and incidents. Peoples medicines were managed safely. Staff understood how to reduce the spread of infection. People continued to be protected from the risks from unsafe staff. This was because recruitment and selection processes were in place to employ the right kind of staff. There were enough staff deployed to provide care for people.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The service was rated Requires Improvement at the last inspection (report published April 2019).
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.
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service in April 2019. Two breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve around staff training and supervision and .
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well Led.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
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.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Star Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
People’s experience of using this service:
At our inspection on 12 and 13 February 2019 we found that the registered provider was in breach of two regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We have therefore rated the service requires improvement overall.
Staff were not provided with the appropriate training to help them meet the needs of people who used the service. Training had not been kept up to date. We identified several shortfalls when checking staff training records.
The registered manager and director completed regular audits to ensure the service was running in line with their policies and procedures. However, audits were not always effective as they had not identified the shortfalls in relation to staff training. Action plans were not in place to address the shortfalls.
People and their relatives consistently told us that the service was reliable and provided them with good quality care.
People were confident to raise any concerns they had with the registered manager.
People had individual risk assessments so that staff had the information they needed to support them safely and minimise the identified risks.
People's medicines were being managed safely and administered by trained staff.
Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs and protected them from harm. Plans were in place to recruit more staff. The service carried out pre-employment checks on staff before they worked with people to assess their suitability.
Peoples care and support was planned in a person-centred way and people chose how they liked their care to be delivered. People were supported by staff who were aware of people's life history and preferences and staff used this information to develop positive relationships.
Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people's independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.
The service was well-led by a dedicated management team who demonstrated compassion and commitment to the needs of the people who used the service as well as the staff who worked for them.
More information in Detailed Findings below.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection. The was the service’s first inspection since they registered with the CQC. This inspection was carried out to check that the service was meeting requirements and to rate the service.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until the next inspection. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.