Archived: Happy Family Care Services Ltd

Happy Family Care Services is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. This service specialises in supporting people of South Asian ethnicity. At the time of our inspection they were providing care to 11 people who lived at home.

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

Staff’s understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the support people required to protect their dignity was limited which put people’s safety at risk.

Quality assurance processes in place to monitor staff’s knowledge and skills were not always effective to ensure good care delivery. Records for spot checks did not include medicines observations. We made recommendations about this.

People and their family members were happy with the care delivery. They found staff attentive and caring. Staff provided choices to people and helped them to improve their independence where possible.

Risk assessments associated with people’s everyday lives were identified and assessed to ensure safe care delivery. People had support to take their medicines as prescribed. Staff understood the process of safeguarding people and followed safe infection control practices.

People had support from staff to contact the healthcare professionals when they needed it. Staff helped people to meet their nutritional needs when family members were not around to assist them. People’s care needs were assessed and reviewed to meet their changing circumstances and health needs.

People’s care plans were individualised and reflected people’s choices and preferences. Information was shared with people via translated documents to ensure their involvement in the care delivery. End of life care was only discussed where people felt comfortable to do so.

There was a stable management team in place with shared responsibilities to support the staff on the job. The registered manager had developed good relationships with the families which helped to address concerns when things went wrong.

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

Rating at the last inspection

The last overall rating for this service was requires improvement (published 25/07/2019). At this inspection we have found evidence that the provider needs to make further improvements. Please see the effective and well-led sections of this full report.

Why we inspected

This was a planned comprehensive inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor the service and information we receive about them. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. 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. At the time of the inspection there were three people receiving personal care.

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

People didn’t always receive care and support from a service that was well-led. Records were not always easily accessible or completed. For example, staff inductions, supervisions, medicines and administration records were not always documented. Audits of the service were not undertaken to effectively monitor the service and drive improvements. We made a recommendation in relation to risk management plans.

People didn’t receive a service that was always safe. Risk management plans were not robust and did not give staff clear guidance on how to mitigate identified risks. People who required verbal prompting to receive their medicines did not always have this documented, staff also did not receive medicines training.

People received care and support from staff that received on-going training. Although the provider failed to carry out regular supervisions to reflect on their working practices, staff told us they felt supported. People were supported to have their nutritional and healthcare needs 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.

People and their relatives confirmed they were supported by staff that were caring and compassionate. People had their dignity respected and their diverse needs encouraged. People were supported to maintain their independence where safe to do so.

People’s care plans were not as person centred as they could be. Where agreed, people were supported to access the community. People and their relatives were aware of how to raise concerns and complaints. People’s end of life care wishes, were not clearly documented.

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 registered with us on 6 June 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was planned in line with our inspection programme.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvement. Please see the Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led sections of this full report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We have identified a breach of regulations in relation to good governance and safe care and treatment.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.