Background to this inspection
Updated
27 May 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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people living in their own houses and flats. They also support people to choose the right support staff to meet their needs.
The service had a manager registered with the CQC. 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
This inspection was announced.
We gave a short period notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 12 May 2021 and ended on 13 May 2021. We visited the office location on 12 May 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed the information we received about the service since they were registered with us. We reviewed information from statutory notifications sent to us by the service about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.
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.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited the office and spoke with the registered manager and reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.
We spoke with two people using the service and one family member, on the telephone, about their experience of the care and support provided. We also spoke with three members of staff and a health care professional.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
27 May 2021
About the service
My Support Worker (NW) Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to young adults and older people living in their own homes, some of who are living with dementia, drug and alcohol dependence problems, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection, there were eight people receiving a regulatory activity.
My Support Worker (NW) Ltd also support people, who receive a direct payment or personal health budget, to ensure the staff they choose are recruited, trained and suitable for the role.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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 told us they were happy with the service they received, and they felt safe. They said staff were knowledgeable and kind; good relationships had developed between staff and people using the service. Safeguarding adults’ procedures were in place and staff understood how to protect people from abuse. Recruitment processes were safe. There were enough numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs in a punctual, consistent and flexible way and to ensure their safety. People received their medicines when they needed them from staff who had been trained and had their competency checked. Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to retain their independence and receive support with minimum risk to themselves or others.
People were given choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s care and support needs were assessed prior to them using the service to ensure their needs could be met. Arrangements were in place to ensure staff received ongoing training, supervision and support. People were supported at mealtimes in line with their care plan and staff worked in partnership with healthcare professionals, when needed.
Management and staff had developed friendly, caring and respectful relationships with people using the service and their families. Staff knew about people’s backgrounds and about their routines and preferences; this made sure people’s care was tailored to their specific needs. People had been consulted about their care needs and had been involved in the support planning process. People had access to activities if this was in line with their care plan. People were aware of how they could raise any complaints, concerns and compliments and had access to a complaint’s procedure.
Effective systems ensured the quality of the service was monitored and any noted shortfalls were addressed. The values of the service were known to staff. Staff told us they received support from management, and they enjoyed working for the service. People’s views and opinions of the service were sought and acted on. People told us the service was well-managed.
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 16 October 2019; this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection as the service was not yet rated.
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.