Archived: Errand Plus and Personal Services

Errand Plus and Personal Services is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to adults in their own homes. The agency covers the geographical areas of Norwich and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Not everyone who used the service received the regulated activity of 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. At the time of inspection, the service was providing personal care to seven people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Since our last inspection of Errand Plus and Personal Services on 11 and 26 September 2019, the service had made improvements, this was a work in progress, but we were encouraged by the actions taken and the service was no longer in breach of regulations. However, further consideration was needed around staff understanding of external safeguarding processes. We have made a recommendation about this.

At our previous inspection we found the risks to people were not managed well and the management of people’s medicines was not safe. At this inspection we found improvements had been made. People’s risks including those associated with their health conditions had been assessed and mitigated, and safe management of medicines systems implemented.

At our previous inspection we found recruitment systems were not robust and staff were not always supported effectively in their roles. At this inspection we found improvements had been made. Relevant pre-employment checks were carried out and systems to support staff had been implemented.

At our previous inspection we found systems for checking the quality and safety of the service was not in place putting people at risk of harm. At this inspection improvements had been made. Systems to monitor the quality and safety of service were in place. People who used the service and relatives were asked for their views and this was used to improve the service and make any necessary changes

Feedback from people who used the service and their relatives was positive. They described being involved in making decisions about their care and told us they felt safe and comfortable in the company of the staff who knew them well and were reliable and competent. They said they would recommend the service.

Staff followed safe infection control processes which protected people from the risks of infection and, specifically Covid-19.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update:

The last rating for this service was inadequate (report published 6 November 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. We met with the provider 15 January 2020 to discuss their action plan and progress to date.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in Special Measures since our last inspection in November 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well-led which contain those requirements.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

The overall rating for the service has changed from inadequate to requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection. We have found evidence that the provider needs to continue to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Errand Plus and Personal Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.

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 did not always receive a service that provided them with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care.

Systems for checking the quality and safety of the service were not in place. Audits and checks had not been carried out to identify where improvements were needed. This put people at risk of potential harm.

Individual risks to people were not effectively managed and mitigated against. People’s care records were not person-centred and did not always contain accurate information. This meant care and support could not be delivered effectively.

There were shortfalls in the systems to support staff to provide effective care and to carry out their duties. Medicines were not managed safely and in line with best practice.

Recruitment processes were not robust, and staff had been knowingly sent to work in people's homes before checks of their suitability had been completed.

People were not always 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 did not support this practice.

Rating at last inspection:

This service was registered with us at their current location on 28 August 2019 and this is the provider’s first inspection.

The provider previously operated a service at a different location that was registered 22 October 2018 but was not inspected. Since their first registration the provider has changed their legal entity.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on their registration.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to the safe care and treatment of people, recruitment processes, staffing and governance systems.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety of the care provided. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

The overall rating for this service is ‘Inadequate’ and the service is therefore in ‘special measures’. This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider’s registration, we will re-inspect within 6 months to check for significant improvements.

If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe. And there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures. This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration.

For adult social care services, the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months. If the service has demonstrated improvements when we inspect it. And it is no longer rated as inadequate for any of the five key questions it will no longer be in special measures.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk