Updated 3 August 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 to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission this person was also the provider and nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service. This person 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 the service was based in an office and we needed to ensure safe measures would be in place when we visited. The registered manager was away from the office when we gave notice of the inspection. Due to their role as provider and nominated individual we arranged to visit on their return so they would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 2 June 2021 and ended on 10 June 2021. We visited the office location on 7 June 2021.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered, this included statutory notifications. Statutory notifications include important information which the provider is required by law to send us. We used this information to plan our inspection.
We contacted the local authority commissioning team to seek their experience of the service.
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.
During the inspection
We spoke by telephone with five people who used the service and two relatives. We spoke with 10 members of staff including members of the management team from the branch and head office, senior care workers and care workers. We spoke with the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records, including six people’s care and medicine records. We looked at six staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager and branch manager to validate evidence found. We looked at the organisation’s governance and quality assurance records. We spoke with two community-based health and social care professionals who have contact with the service.