Background to this inspection
Updated
5 February 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
One inspector visited the service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service did not currently have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. The previous registered manager had left. A new branch manager started three months ago, who has applied to register. Registered managers 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or branch manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
In preparation for the inspection, we reviewed all the information we held about the service and statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. Due to the COVID -19 pandemic, we requested a range of documents prior to the inspection such as policies, procedures, information about staffing, staff training and quality monitoring information. We also undertook virtual meetings with the branch manager to minimise the time spent at the branch. We used all of this information to plan the inspection.
During the inspection
We telephoned six people, two relatives and a carer to seek their feedback and received e mail feedback from another relative. We spoke with the branch manager and five staff which included care staff and a care and training practitioner. We reviewed a range of records which included three people’s care plans and two medicine records. Also, three staff recruitment records, staff supervision and observation records as well as competency checks.
Updated
5 February 2021
About the service
Helping Hands Taunton is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection they were providing a personal care service to 18 people.
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
People and relatives gave us positive feedback about the service. Comments included; “Staff are lovely and love their work,” “The service is reliable” and “Communication is good.”
People felt safe with the staff who supported them. Staff understood the signs of abuse and felt confident any safeguarding concerns reported were listened and responded to. People received their prescribed medicines safely and on time.
We were assured the service were following safe infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe with regard to the current COVID 19 pandemic. The service had monitoring arrangements to ensure all aspects of infection control followed best practice guidance.
Staff monitored people's health and wellbeing and worked with other professionals to make sure people received the treatment they required. People received safe and effective care because training, supervision and observation visits in people’s homes ensured staff had the necessary qualifications, competence, skills and experience.
People's risk assessments and care plans provided staff with detailed, up to date information about how to safely care for each person.
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 received personalised care from staff who knew them well and how to support their needs.
The service was well led. Staff felt well supported and reported good communication, team working and staff morale. Quality monitoring systems were used effectively to oversee the safety and quality of the service and make continuous improvements.
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 on 12 August 2019 and this was the first inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to safeguarding concerns received and because the registered manager had left. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the Safe and Well Led sections of this full report. The provider has taken action to mitigate the risks and these have been effective.
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.