Gracious Care

Updated 7 May 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

A single inspector carried out the inspection site visit. They were supported by 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.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

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

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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we received about the service. We asked the registered manager to send us information in relation to staff training, policies relating to medicines and infection control. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We used this information to plan our inspection. 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 three people using the service and the relatives of four people about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care and medicines records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 7 May 2021

Gracious Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides care and support for people living in their own homes. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with personal care; that is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. There were 21 people using the service at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service

People told us they felt safe. There were safeguarding adults’ and children’s procedures in place to guide staff. The registered manager and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work and there were enough staff available to meet people’s care needs. Where required people received safe support from staff to take their medicines. The provider and staff were following government guidance in relation to infection prevention and control. Staff had received training on COVID 19 and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The service had business continuity and COVID 19 contingency plans in place that made provisions for safe care in the event of an emergency, or outbreak of COVID 19.

Assessments of people’s care needs were carried out before they started using the service to ensure staff could support them safely. Staff had received training and support relevant to people’s needs. Where required people received support to maintain a balanced diet. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People and their relatives told us they were treated in a caring and respectful manner and they had been consulted about their care and support needs. They knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy with the service. People had access to end of life care and support if it was required.

There were effective systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. Staff said they received good support from the registered manager. The registered manager took people and their relatives views into account through satisfaction surveys and feedback was used to improve the service. The registered manager and care staff worked with health care providers to plan and deliver an effective service.

This service was registered with us on 7 March 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about safe care and treatment provided and staff training. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk