Background to this inspection
Updated
30 October 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This comprehensive inspection took place on 2 October 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and the registered manager also provides care to people. Therefore, we needed to ensure that someone would be available at the office location.
The inspection was undertaken by one adult social care inspector.
Before the inspection we checked the information we held about the service. We looked at any notifications received and reviewed any information received from the public. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also contacted the local authority to seek their views about the service. They told us they had no current concerns. We used all of this information to create our 'planning tool' which helps us to decide how the inspection should be conducted and any key information we need to discuss.
During the inspection we spoke with two people who used the service and one relative. We also visited one person at their home. We spoke with the registered manager and one care worker.
We reviewed four people's care records, looked at one staff file and reviewed records relating to the management of medicines, training and how the registered persons monitored the quality of the service.
Updated
30 October 2018
The inspection took place on 2 October 2018 and was announced.
Abbey Service (UK) Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity; the CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.
The service was providing personal care to six people living in their own homes.
At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
Staffing levels were sufficient to provide safe care and people were supported by a small and familiar staff team. Recruitment checks had ensured they were suitable to work with vulnerable adults.
People were protected from avoidable harm as staff received training and understood how to recognise signs of abuse and who to report this to if required. Risk assessments were undertaken and action taken to mitigate risks where necessary.
Medicines were managed safely. Staff were trained and were supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and aprons.
People's needs continued to be assessed before they started using the service and were reviewed to develop their care plans. People received appropriate support by staff o meet their nutritional needs.
Staff asked for people’s consent before providing any care. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), however we found that the recording of information about people’s capacity needed to be clearer where best interest decisions had been made.
People and their relatives had been involved in assessments of care needs and had their choices and wishes were respected. The service worked well with professionals such as nurses, doctors, occupational therapists and social workers, to promote people’s health needs.
The service promoted a culture of dignified and respectful care. People told us that were supported by staff who were kind and caring. Close and effective relationship had developed between people and staff due to the small staff team.
Staff were trained and received ongoing support from the registered manager.
The provider had taken action to improve care plans and had included information which was person centred and contained details about people’s preferences, likes, interests and personal histories.
People received care and support that was personal to their needs and was responsive to their changing needs.
People had regular contact with the manager and reported no difficulties in raising any concerns about the service if necessary. However, people told us they had no reason to make any complaints.
People, their relatives and staff were positive about the way the service was managed. The service continued to monitor and assess the quality of the service they were providing to people.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
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