Retain Healthcare Limited - Cheltenham

Updated 23 March 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 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 older people and people with a physical disability living in their own houses and flats. At the time of our inspection the service was not providing personal care to people with a learning disability.

The service is registered to provide the regulated activity of Treatment of disease, disorder and injury. At the time of our inspection this regulated activity was not being provided to people using the service.

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

We gave the service prior 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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return received in May 2021.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 two people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, the nominated individual, the branch and two care workers. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. 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 looked at training data and quality assurance records. We sought and received feedback from the local authority and also spoke with two members of staff.

Updated 23 March 2022

About the service

Retain Healthcare Limited - Cheltenham is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 41 older people and people with a physical disability at the time of the inspection.

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

We heard positive views about the service from people, their relatives and professionals such as, "I’m more than happy with Retain and would recommend them.”, “It’s all good, no complaints at all.” and “Very Happy.”

Strong leadership had created an exceptionally positive culture within the service. This drove an innovative and collaborative approach with people at the heart of the service. The service worked closely with local hospitals, the local authority and other care providers to enable large numbers of people to return home from hospital and significantly ease pressure on the local care system during the winter.

People received care which was safe, and staff understood how to support people to maintain their safety. People's medicines were administered as expected. The provider checked the suitability of new staff through robust recruitment processes. Care staff used personal protective equipment (PPE) and supported people to reduce the risk of infection.

Staff received support to carry out their roles through training and regular meetings with senior staff. People were supported to access healthcare services in a timely fashion when the need arose.

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 treated with respect and kindness and their privacy and dignity was upheld.

People received personalised care delivered by well trained staff.

Leadership had created a positive culture within the service. The service worked closely with the local authority to ensure people's needs were met.

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 26 February 2020 and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 1 March 2019

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.