Background to this inspection
Updated
3 October 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was conducted by 1 inspector. After the inspection, an Expert by Experience supported the inspection by making phone calls to people who used the service and their relatives to ask for their feedback. 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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ 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 11 July 2023 and ended on 16 August 2023. We visited the location’s office on 13 July 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including notifications of significant events. We contacted the local authority to ask for feedback. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account in making our judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people's care records, medicines records and 2 staff records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits were also reviewed. As part of the inspection, we spoke with 3 people who used the service and 3 relatives. 14 care workers emailed us feedback of their experience of the service.
Updated
3 October 2023
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability or who are autistic.
About the service
Clarity Homecare (Hillingdon) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 11 people using the service. 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
Overall, service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture. However, in terms of consent to care, we have recommended the provider is consistent in following the principles of the Mental capacity Act (2005). Additionally, we have recommended the provider consider the most relevant guidance around safe recruitment practices.
Right Support
Overall, 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; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff focused on people’s strengths and promoted what they could do. People were supported by staff to pursue their interests as part of their care plan. Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing. Staff supported people with their medicines in a safe way.
Right Care
Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support for people. They understood people’s cultural needs and provided culturally appropriate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. Appropriate risk assessments were in place. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs.
Right Culture
People received good quality care, support and treatment because trained staff could meet their needs and wishes. People and those important to them were involved in planning their care. Staff evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate.
For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 10 May 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service on 14 March 2022. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve person centred care, safe care and treatment and good governance.
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led which contain those requirements. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Clarity Homecare (Hillingdon) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.