We carried out a review of the data available to us about A Class Care Ipswich on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about A Class Care Ipswich, you can give feedback on this service.
A Class Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 21 people at the time of the inspection. The service specialises in providing live-in care staff.
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
Staff knew the people they supported well. There were enough knowledgeable and trained staff to help assist people’s care and support requirements. Where concerns had been raised around some staff members, we saw these were investigated and the staff member spoken with to reduce the risk of recurrence. Most people received a telephone call to introduce new staff to them. Visiting people’s homes had been reduced due to COVID-19 and to reduce the risk of cross contamination. This meant communication could where needed be undertaken virtually or by the telephone.
Staff had medicines administration spot checks undertaken to look at their competency following their training. Staff were trained and encouraged to discuss their performance during supervision and spot checks. Potential new staff to the service had checks carried out on them. This helped make sure they were suitable to work with the people they supported.
Most people and their relatives told us the support from staff made them, their family member feel reassured. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of how to keep people safe from harm or abuse. They also knew that they should report any concerns they may have to their registered manager or to external organisations such as the local authority. Improvements had been put in place to make sure that all concerns were recorded as part of the governance system even when a formal complaint was not raised. This helped give a clearer overall picture of the service provided and any improvements required.
Staff had access to information on people’s end of life wishes to guide them. Records showed not all staff had been trained in end of life care but were booked onto training sessions. This would help the person have as dignified death as possible in line with their wishes. Staff had access to information in peoples’ care plans and risk assessments that helped guide them to care and support people safely and effectively. Staff had plenty of single use personal protective equipment, such as gloves, aprons and face masks. Infection control practices were in place to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Lessons were learnt and shared with staff when concerns were raised, or incidents happened.
People and their relatives had no concerns around how they, their family member was supported with their food and drink. Staff helped promote and maintain people’s privacy and dignity. Staff also encouraged people and their relatives to be involved in discussions and reviews around their care and support needs. In the main people felt listened to and their choices respected by staff.
The registered manager and staff when required, would work with external health and social care professionals. This would help people to receive joined up care and support.
Complaints about the service had been received. Complaints were investigated and actions taken as a result of learning to try to reduce the risk of recurrence. People and their relatives were aware of how to raise concerns. Workshops were now in place to help embed frontline and office staff’s knowledge of how to deal with complaints, so people and their relatives felt listened to. The 2021 people and relatives survey said communication had improved. However, additional contact via more frequent reviews and quality assurance had now been put in place to encourage people and staff further to raise concerns and feel listened to.
People, and relatives and staff were asked to feedback on the service provided via a survey. Improvements were either in place or ongoing. Information such as safeguarding, and deprivation of liberty safeguards were available for people and their carers in different formats such as large print or pictorial to help aid with their understanding.
The registered manager and office staff team sent staff any guidance and legislation updates. This helped staff to work with the most up to date guidance. Audits were undertaken to monitor the quality of the service provided.
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.
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 13 March 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This is the first inspection since the service registered with the CQC on 13 March 2020.
This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.
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.