Archived: A Rated Homecare

Updated 30 June 2022

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 carried out by 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.

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 service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. The registered manager was not present at our inspection, as a new manager had started and was about to register with CQC. The new manager assisted us with our inspection and we refer to them as ‘manager’ in this report.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

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 on 9 June 2022 and ended on 14 June 2022. We visited the location’s office on 9 June 2022.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with us. We sought feedback professionals who work with the service.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We reviewed the documentation for three people receiving care from the agency during our visit to the offices. We also reviewed the medicine records for five people, as well as other documentation relating to people’s care. We spoke with the manager and office manager as well as one member of staff.

We looked at documentation relating to the governance arrangements within the agency. This included audits, surveys and five recruitment files for care staff.

As part of the inspection, the Expert by Experience spoke with two people and five relatives to gain their views of the care being provided by A Rated Homecare.

Following the inspection

We received additional information from the service in relation to action plans, training and complaints. We also spoke with two staff.

Updated 30 June 2022

About the service

A Rated Homecare is a domiciliary care agency providing the regulated activity of personal care which is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people received the regulated activity we also considered any wider social care provided. The service provides support to people living in their own houses with varying health conditions, those elderly and frail or those living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 12 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We found some shortfalls during our inspection. These related to paperwork and processes at the service. Although improvements were needed, these shortfalls did not have a negative impact to people. We found the new manager had already identified the work required to help ensure the service was meeting all the requirements of registration and as such provide good quality care to people.

A new manager had recently started at the service and we found their good oversight and management skills had enabled them to already identify the gaps and shortfalls identified during our inspection. They shared their action plan with us which showed what they planned to do to address these.

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 practice.

People were positive about the care they received from the service, telling us staff arrived on time, stayed the time expected and were kind and caring. People were supported by staff to be as independent as they wished to and they were enable to make their owns choices around the food they ate and how they liked their care to be provided.

People said staff knew them well and they treated them with respect. They told us they received the medicines they required and that staff followed guidance in relation to the wearing of personal protective equipment.

People felt safe with staff and told us they understood potential risks to them, ensuring that health care professional involvement was sought when needed.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and said they received appropriate training and support. They recognised some improvements were needed and told us the new manager had already made a good impact on them. They told us, “We feel more listened to now and things happen quickly when we mention them.”

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 3 July 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.