Background to this inspection
Updated
17 August 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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
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 provider was also the manager of the service and was registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
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 would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
A provider information return was not requested prior to this inspection. 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. We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered with the CQC and started providing a service is late 2021. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all this information to plan our inspection
During the inspection-
We spoke with the provider who is also the registered manager and nominated individual. This person currently has sole responsibility for supervising the management of the service.
We looked at all four people’s care planning and medicines records as well as staffing and recruitment information.
We contacted three care staff and three relatives to ask about their views about the quality and safety of the service provided. We received one reply from a member of the care staff team and one relative. A local authority also provided us with their feedback.
Updated
17 August 2022
About the service
International Healthcare is a small domiciliary care service, currently providing support to four people.
Everyone that used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission 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 to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests and the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People’s safety was promoted because the service assessed, monitored and managed their safety well. Potential risks that people may face had been identified, assessed and were regularly reviewed. The assessments provided information about how to support people to ensure that any potential risks were minimised.
The service had enough staff to cater for the needs of people currently using the service. Pre-employment checks had been carried out for care staff. These checks helped to ensure only suitable applicants were offered work with the service.
People received their medicines safely, although at present only one person required assistance from staff to have a medicine administered. This person was supported by staff who followed systems and processes to administer, record and store medicines safely. Medicines safety was monitored by the provider.
People were protected from the risks associated with poor infection control because the service used effective infection, prevention and control measures. Personal protective equipment, for example face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser, was provided in suitable quantities to staff. Guidance for staff and training was provided and staff were assessed to ensure these measures were maintained.
The service completed an assessment of each person’s needs and personal wishes about how they were cared for and care plans included guidance about meeting these needs.
There was a process in place to report, monitor and learn from accidents and incidents. Significant events had not taken place although the provider told us if any events did occur these would be documented in line with the service’s policy and guidance.
There was an effective training system in place. People were supported by staff who had received relevant induction training in evidence-based practice and a programme of refresher training was being established.
People’s nutritional needs were met. They received support to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet. Staff had taken steps to make sure people’s nutrition and hydration needs were met.
People’s health needs were met. Staff from different disciplines worked together to make sure people had no gaps in their care.
Staff respected people’s choices, including those relevant to protected characteristics, for example, due to disability, cultural or religious preferences.
Governance processes were effective and helped to assess, monitor and check the quality of the service provided to people.
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 22/05/2019 but had not provided a service until 25/10/2021.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our timelines for inspecting newly registered services.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.