Sova Healthcare - Leicester

Updated 10 May 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 19 March 2018 and it was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice, because the service provides a community care service and we needed to ensure someone was available to facilitate the inspection.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Prior to the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and

improvements they plan to make.

We planned for the inspection using information from the PIR and other information we held about the service. This included statutory notifications. A statutory notification is information about important events the provider is required to send us by law. We also took into consideration information we had received from commissioners who monitor the care and support of people using the service.

During the inspection, we spoke with four people that received personal care from the service. We also spoke with four relatives of people using the service, three care staff, the registered manager and the home services manager.

We reviewed the care records of four people using the service and two staff recruitment files. We also reviewed records relating to the management and quality monitoring of the service.

Updated 10 May 2018

Sova Healthcare provides domiciliary care to people living in their own homes. It provides personal care to a range of people including older people, people living with dementia, people with mental health needs, people with learning disabilities and younger adults. At the time of our inspection 11 people were receiving a personal care service.

At the last inspection in January 2016, the service was rated 'Good'. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.

Staff received safeguarding training so they knew how to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report any concerns of abuse.

Staffing arrangements were suitable to keep people safe. The staff recruitment practices ensured staff were suitable to work with people.

Staff followed infection control procedures to reduce the risks of spreading infection or illness.

The provider understood their responsibility to comply with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which came into force in August 2016. The AIS is a framework that makes it a legal requirement for all providers to ensure people with a disability or sensory loss can access and understand information they are given.

Risk management plans were not always fully in place to protect and promote people's safety.

Where the provider took on the responsibility for the management of medicines, staff followed practice guidelines, though not all staff had been trained before they assisted with people having their medicines.

On-going refresher training was provided to ensure staff were able to provide care and support for people, though not all staff had received induction training when they first started work at the service.

The regularity of staff supervision systems did not fully ensure that staff received regular one to one supervision and appraisal of their performance.

Staff supported people to eat and drink sufficient amounts to maintain a varied and balanced diet.

People had been supported to have health appointments though not all people had regular optical and dental appointments to make sure they received continuing healthcare to meet their needs.

People were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their care and support. Staff demonstrated their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 (MCA) and they gained people's consent before providing personal care.

People had their privacy, dignity and confidentiality maintained.

The provider followed their complaints procedure when dealing with complaints.

Staff consistently provided people with respectful and compassionate care. People had their diverse needs assessed and met. They had positive relationships with staff and received care to meet their personal preferences.

People, their relatives and other professionals told us that they had confidence in the management of the service to provide managerial oversight and leadership.