Background to this inspection
Updated
19 March 2019
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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team: The inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector 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: Home Care Service provides a domiciliary care service for people living in their own homes and a supported living setting. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support needs.
The service had three registered managers, all 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 to ensure the registered managers and office staff would be available for our visit.
What we did: We asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is key information providers are required to send about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
We looked at notifications received from the service. A notification is a record about important events, which the provider is required to send us by law.
We contacted the local authority safeguarding team and Healthwatch to gain their views. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.
During the inspection we spoke with 11 people who used the service via telephone, five people’s relatives and the three registered managers. We also sought and gained the views from 31 staff members.
We looked at a selection of records which included;
• Six care and support plans.
• Three people's medication administration records.
• A sample of completed satisfaction surveys.
• Staff recruitment, training and supervision records for four staff.
• Records of accidents, incidents, complaints and compliments.
• Audits and quality assurance reports.
• Records of management and provider meetings.
Updated
19 March 2019
About the service: Home Care Service provides care and support for people living in their own homes or within a supported living setting. Home Care Service provided specialist services for people living with dementia, short term services promoting independence and, supported living for people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities or who had learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection there was 112 people receiving personal care from the service.
People’s experience of using this service: People and their relatives told us they were happy with the care and support they received from the Home Care Service. One person said, “They are brilliant and do a remarkable job, I really can’t fault them, they are very organised.”
People received their care from a consistent staff team who they could build trusting relationships with. Everyone told us staff were caring and patient.
The provider ensured people received a safe service with systems and processes in place which helped to minimise risks. Staff effectively reported any safeguarding matters. The registered managers thoroughly investigated any concerns and resolved these matters. All incidents were critically analysed, lessons were learnt and embedded into practice.
People were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to help them to maintain and develop their independence. Staff treated people as individuals and respected their privacy and lifestyle choices.
Medicines systems were organised and people were receiving their medicines when they should. The provider was following national guidance for the receipt, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.
People were involved in decisions about the care they received and staff knew how to communicate with each person to help them to make choices.
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 supported this practice.
The provider was open and approachable which enabled people to share their views and raise concerns. People told us if they were worried about anything they would be comfortable to talk with a member of staff or the provider.
The management structure in the service ensured people and staff had access to, and support from, a competent management team. The provider monitored quality, sought people's views and planned ongoing improvements.
Rating at last inspection: Good (Last report published 10 August 2016).
Why we inspected: We inspected the service as part of our inspection schedule for ‘Good’ rated services.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please read the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk