Carefocus Healthcare

Updated 19 September 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. 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

One inspector visited the service on 1 August 2019 and made phone calls to people and staff on 2 August 2019, to seek their views about the service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at all the information we held about the service. This information included the notifications that the service sent to the Care Quality Commission. A notification is information about important events that the service is required to send us by law. 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

We spoke with the nominated individual cum registered manager, one office staff and one member of field staff. We looked at one-person’s care records and five staff recruitment records. We also looked at records related to the management of the service, such as the spot check forms, and the providers policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We spoke with one person and one member of care staff. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found in relation to staff recruitment checks and the providers policy and procedures.

Updated 19 September 2019

About the service

Carefocus health is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes and flats. At the time of the inspection a limited number of people were receiving personal care from the service.

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

People’s initial needs assessment, risk assessments and their management plans were not accurate. For example, about lifting and handling, personal risk assessment, and home internal risk assessment. Care plans were not person-centred and did not provide staff with guidance on how people’s needs should be met. The provider’s quality assurance systems were not effective and spot checks were inaccurate.

The provider did not complete checks and audits on staff recruitment checks, staff training, care plan and risk assessment. Staff were not supported with supervision. The provider carried out background checks for staff before they started working. However, three staff members previous employers’ references were outstanding. We have made a recommendation about some staff recruitment checks. People were supported by effectively deployed staff. People gave us positive feedback about their safety and told us that staff treated them well. People were protected from the risk of infection.

Relatives coordinated people’s health care appointments and health care needs, staff were available to support people to access healthcare appointments if needed.

Staff obtained consent from people prior to providing care to them. 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.

Staff supported people and showed an understanding of equality and diversity. People told us they had been involved in making decisions about their care and support, they were treated with dignity and their privacy was respected. People were supported to be as independent in their care as possible. Staff communicated with people in the way the understood. People told us they knew how to complain and would do so if necessary.

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

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection. This service was registered with us on 01 August 2018 and this is the first inspection.

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 breaches of regulations in relation to the provider was not making sure there were proper risk assessments and their management plans. People’s initial needs assessment were not accurate, and their care plans were not person-centred. The provider’s quality assurance systems were not effective and spot checks were inaccurate. Three staff members previous employers’ references were outstanding.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will work with the 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.