Background to this inspection
Updated
31 January 2020
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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience (ExE). An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced.
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
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This 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. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with the nominated individual, registered manager and four members of staff, eight people, two relatives and one healthcare professional. We looked at people’s care records, records relating to accidents and incidents. We looked at complaints, safeguarding, CQC notifications, and the staff training matrix. We looked at, recruitment records, staff supervision, appraisal records and audits completed by the registered manager.
After the inspection
We asked or requested additional information. This included Ave Maria Care Services policies and procedures and feedback from professionals.
Updated
31 January 2020
About the service
Ave Maria Care Services is a Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) providing personal care to younger and older adults, with a varying level of personal care needs. Staff provided care to people within their own homes. The nominated individual stated that they ran Ave Maria Care Services Burntwood and Ave Maria Care Services Tamworth out of this location. At the time of inspection, the service was supporting 47 people.
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
People's care files did contain guidance in risk assessments that was person centred to mitigate risks.
We made a recommendation on personalised guidance to manage people’s known risks.
Care files did not evidence what people’s end of life preferences would be.
We made a recommendation regarding people’s end of life wishes.
The registered manager completed a range of quality audits.
The provider had an effective system to ensure staff received appropriate training. People and relatives agreed that staff members training was appropriate to meet their needs.
Staff received office supervision throughout the year in the office and community.
Medicines were handled safely by the service.
People’s care needs, and choices were documented in care files. They detailed the support required from staff at each visit. People and relatives spoke positively about the care and support they received from Ave Maria Care Services.
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 last rating for this service was requires improvement (25 December 2018).
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.
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.