Background to this inspection
Updated
5 June 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
An inspector visited the service and an Expert by Experience made calls to families to gain their feedback. None of the people the agency provided personal care for were able to tell us directly about their experiences of care. 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 people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a new branch manager who had applied to register with the Care Quality Commission. Currently, the provider is 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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We visited the office location on 12 May 2021.
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 such as our contacts with them and 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
Instead, we sought feedback from six relatives, spoke to five by telephone and received one e mail response. We looked at two people's care plans and their medicine records.
We spoke with the branch manager and regional manager and with four staff, which included office and care staff. We reviewed a range of quality monitoring records such as audits, policies and procedures. Also, staff recruitment, training and supervision records. We sought feedback from professionals who regularly worked with the service and received two responses.
Updated
5 June 2021
About the service
Prestige Nursing Taunton is domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to adults and children across Somerset. The services cover people with short or long- term healthcare needs, which range from regular daily visits up to 24-hour live in care. When we visited, the agency supported five people, each with complex care needs. People were referred to the agency by Somerset Continuing Health Care (CHC) team, following an assessment of their needs.
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
Families gave us positive feedback about the service. They said staff were caring and compassionate and treated people with dignity and respect. Feedback comments included; “I would recommend them to anybody ……. they just seem to know what needs doing and get on with it in an efficient and effective way.” Also, “The carer has built a really positive relationship with my relative. One built on respect for one another” and ‘They provide a wonderful service.’
People felt safe with the staff who supported them. Staff understood the signs of abuse and felt confident any safeguarding concerns reported were listened to and responded to. People received their prescribed medicines safely and on time. People's risk assessments and care plans provided staff with detailed, up to date information about how to safely care for each person.
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.
People received safe and effective care because training, supervision and competency checks ensured staff had the necessary qualifications, skills and experience. Staff monitored people's health and wellbeing and worked with other professionals to make sure people received the treatment they required.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff 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
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on 27 January 2020 and this was the first inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.