Background to this inspection
Updated
15 October 2021
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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector, an assistant inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for some 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 and specialist housing.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Notice of inspection
We have the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 8 September and ended on 8 October 2021. We visited the office location on 8 September 2021. We spoke with staff and people who used the service on 30 September 2021 and 1 October 2021. We reviewed records and information sent to us between 5 and 8 October 2021.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 nine people who used the service and 14 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eleven members of staff including the provider [who is also the nominated individual and a director], the manager, care co-ordinators, field care supervisors and care workers. We reviewed a range of records to include nine people’s care plans, medicine records and call logs. We looked at three staff members files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including minutes of meetings, audits and action plans.
The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
After the inspection
We reviewed additional documentation we had requested from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
15 October 2021
About the service
Tipton Home Care Limited is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to older people with a mixture of needs including dementia and physical disabilities. People are supported in their own homes, at the time of the inspection 92 People were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
At the last inspection we found the provider’s systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were not consistently effective. At this inspection we found the required improvements had been made.
Governance systems were now in place that provided oversight of the service. Accidents, incidents and matters of a safeguarding nature, were responded to and acted on appropriately. Analysis of this information was taking place to identify any trends or lessons to be learnt.
At the last inspection we found improvement was required where people were supported with ‘as required’ medication. At this inspection we found this work had been completed and people’s medication care plans had been reviewed and updated. Medication management had improvement and an electronic monitoring system was in place to ensure people received their medication as prescribed.
Improvements had been made to the systems in place that allocated packages of care. An electronic system was in place which enabled office staff to monitor call times and on the whole, people received their calls at the agreed times. In response to unexpected staff absence, the provider and manager worked proactively to ensure people received their calls.
People’s care records had been reviewed and held the most up to date information regarding their care needs. Staff reported they were kept up to date with changes in people’s care needs in a timely manner.
People were complimentary of the staff who supported them and felt safe when supported in their own homes.
Following the last inspection, the manager had focussed on addressing risk and ensuring staff received the training and support they needed. Staff reported improvements in the governance of the service and felt supported and listened to.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection (and update) The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 7 June 2021) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. 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.
This service has been in Special Measures since June 2021. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
We carried out an announced inspection of this service on 10 February 2021. 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 in response to the following breaches; safe care and treatment, person centred care and good governance.
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.
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 Inadequate to Requires Improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Tipton Home Care Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.