Background to this inspection
Updated
16 April 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
The inspection was carried out by one 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 or 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
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection:
We reviewed information we received about the service from the provider since the last inspection, such as notifications. Registered providers must send us notifications about certain events and incidents that affect their service or the people using it. 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:
During our inspection, we spoke with three people who used the service and eight relatives. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the managing director, care coordinator, quality assurance manager and two care givers. We looked at three 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 received evidence of
information relating to safeguarding and complaints. We contacted external professionals and we received feedback from one person.
Updated
16 April 2020
About the service
Hillingdon and Uxbridge Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency providing a range of services including personal care for people in their own homes. The people using the service were either privately funding their
own care or using direct payments. At the time of our inspection the provider was supporting 20 people who were receiving 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.
In this report, ‘care giver’ is the name the provider uses to describe the staff giving direct care to people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider did not always take appropriate action to investigate safeguarding concerns and if potential concerns were identified the provider could not demonstrate they had followed their safeguarding policies and procedures and in making sure the necessary statutory agencies were informed.
The provider did not always follow their complaints policy and procedures. They did not always respond to complainants in a timely manner.
The provider's quality assurance processes had not identified the above shortfalls so these could be addressed and action taken to prevent reoccurrence.
Family members told us their relatives were safe. Care givers were recruited safely. Care givers received an induction and shadowed more experienced colleagues before they supported people on their own. Care givers received regular supervision and appraisals in line with the provider’s policy. People received their medicines in a safe way. Care givers were provided with personal protective equipment to help prevent the spread of infection. Risks to people's health and well-being were identified and managed appropriately by care givers.
People's needs were assessed before they received care from the agency. 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. People were supported to eat their meals according to their preferences.
Care givers had developed caring relationships with people and respected their dignity and privacy and promoted their independence. People were supported to remain independent. Care givers supported people to participate in activities which were important to them.
Care givers attended team meetings and they had regular supervisions and appraisals in line with the provider's policy so they were appropriately supported in their role.
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 good (published 24 August 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Enforcement
We have identified breaches in relation to safeguarding people from abuse and improper treatment , receiving and acting on complaints and good governance.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information, we may inspect sooner.