Allfor Care Croydon

Updated 7 September 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 two inspectors and one 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 and specialist housing.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 22 July and ended on 30 July 2021. We visited the office location on 22 and 27 July 2021. We made phone calls to people on 29 and 30 July 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered. We reviewed statutory notifications submitted by the provider. Statutory notifications contain information providers are required to send to us about significant events that take place within services. 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 with six care staff, two allocation staff, two area coordinators, one medicines compliance officer, the location manager and the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included ten people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at eight staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and quality assurance audits were reviewed.

After the inspection

After the inspection we telephoned 10 people and two relatives to hear about their experiences of the care provided. We also spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service. Additionally, we continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 7 September 2021

About the service

Allfor Care is a Domiciliary Care Service providing personal care to people in their own homes. 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. At the time of our inspection 207 people were receiving personal care.

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

People received their care and support safely and their risks were assessed and mitigated. Staff recruitment processes were robust and ensured staff were safe to provide care. The provider ensured there were enough staff available to provide care as planned. People were protected from the risk and spread of infection by staff following published guidance on infection prevention and control.

People participated in their needs assessments and consented to their care. Staff were supervised and received training to meet people’s needs effectively. Where it was part of their care plan, people were supported to safely eat and drink.

Staff were caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People’s cultural needs were identified and addressed. People made choices as to how they received their care and support.

The provider was responsive to people’s changing needs and the care people received was personalised. Where complaints were made these were investigated, responded to and improvements were made.

Quality assurance processes were in place to drive improvements. The registered manager ensured collective learning when things had not gone well. People and staff were encouraged to share their views about improving the service. The provider worked closely with several organisations to meet people’s needs and enhance the service’s capacity and capability to deliver care.

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.

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 05/08/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.

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.