Background to this inspection
Updated
15 September 2022
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of an inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 16 August 2022 and ended on 18 August 2022. We visited the location’s office on 16 August 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager, the area manager, the assistant quality assurance business partner and four care staff. We also spoke with one person who receives support from the service and six relatives.
We looked at five people’s care records and reviewed four people’s medicine administration records (MARs). We also viewed one staff file and recruitment documentation.
The provider sent us further documentation we had requested following the site visit including training records, risk assessments and call time reports.
Updated
15 September 2022
About the service
Helping Hands Shrewsbury and Telford is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting 15 people with personal care.
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 were supported by staff who understood how to keep them safe. People were supported by staff who were safely recruited. People’s medicines were administered safely and accurate medicine administration records (MAR’s) were completed. Where things went wrong, action was taken to address it and lessons were learnt to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
People’s needs were assessed holistically and consideration was given to their life history, physical and social needs and the outcomes they wished to achieve. People were supported by staff who had completed the Care Certificate and had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs. Staff worked effectively alongside healthcare professionals to ensure people received joined up care that met their needs.
People were supported by staff who treated them with kindness and respect. People and relatives told us staff took an interest in them and their needs. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff encouraged people to retain their independence and supported them to engage in activities in the local community when they had identified this as a goal.
People and relatives were involved in the care planning and reviewing process and people’s care was delivered in line with their assessed needs. Staff knew people well and were aware of their preferences. A complaints policy was in place and any complaints were addressed in line with the policy.
The provider promoted an ethos centred on kindness and delivering person centred care which was disseminated to staff and was evident in the care provided. Staff felt supported by the registered manager.
Effective systems were in place to check the quality of the service being provided to people. Electronic systems in place enabled real time quality checks to be undertaken which reduced the risk of late and missed calls. People, relatives and staff were actively encouraged to be involved in the service through the dissemination of newsletters and the provision of opportunities to feedback.
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
This service was registered with us on 27 March 2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.