Intrigue Homecare Ltd

Updated 21 May 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 two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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

This inspection was announced. Due to the pandemic, we gave a short period notice of the inspection to enable us to collate as much information as possible virtually to minimise the time spent by the inspection team visiting the provider’s office.

Inspection activity started on 30 April 2021 and ended on 12 May 2021. We visited the office location on 10 May 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We received feedback about the service from two professionals.

Updated 21 May 2021

About the service

Intrigue Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency, providing a ‘supported living’ service to people living in their own homes. It provides personal care and support to people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs. People lived in shared houses within three ‘supported living’ schemes in the towns of Southend and Basildon in Essex. People had their own bedrooms and en-suites and had access to shared communal areas such as kitchens and lounges. At the time of our inspection, six people were using the service.

People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living. 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

Safe recruitment processes were in place to ensure staff were suitable for their roles. People and their relatives told us they felt the service was safe. Staff had received safeguarding adults from abuse training and knew how to act on any concerns. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and monitored. Medicine practices showed people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff carried out infection prevention and control measures to minimise the risk of the spread of infection.

Staff received induction, training and supervision to carry out their role effectively and safely. People were supported with eating and drinking. The service worked well in partnership with other professionals to ensure people received the health care support they needed.

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 were kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People received personalised care responsive to their individual needs and their independence was promoted.

Quality assurance systems had been developed to monitor the service. Feedback from people and relatives demonstrated they were happy with all aspects of the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People received person centred care which promoted their dignity and rights. There was a positive culture within the service. Staff felt valued and shared the provider’s passion and commitment to providing high quality care, empowering people to lead fulfilling lives.

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 the service at the previous premises was Good (published on 22 August 2018). You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Intrigue Homecare Ltd on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to check the safety and quality of the care people received.

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.