Background to this inspection
Updated
4 May 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by an inspector and two Experts 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. The Experts by Experience made telephone calls, off site, to obtain feedback from people who used the service and their relatives.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
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.
Inspection activity started on 13 April 2022 when we visited the office location and ended on 21 April 2022 when we gave feedback.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed our systems and information we held about the service. 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 took this into account when we inspected the service and made judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We visited the office location on 13 April 2022. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, the customer liaison officer and a care worker. We looked at three staff files and eight people’s care records. This included their risk assessments, support plans, daily records and where applicable their medication records.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, accident and incident records, complaints and management monitoring and oversight records.
We spoke with 11 people who received care and support from Harmony Homecare Suffolk and 16 relatives. We received electronic feedback from one person who used the service and three relatives. We spoke with four care workers and received electronic feedback from nine care workers and two professionals from the local commissioning teams who work closely with the service.
Updated
4 May 2022
About the service
Harmony Homecare Suffolk is a domiciliary care service providing care to people in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive a regulated activity of personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating.
Where they do receive personal care, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of inspection, Harmony Homecare Suffolk covered geographical areas in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and provided a service to 82 people of which 81 people received personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their relatives were complimentary about the service Harmony Homecare Suffolk provided and would recommend the service. The management worked in partnership with people, relatives and other professionals to achieve individualised, person-centred care.
People were supported by a safely recruited staff team who had the relevant training and qualifications to safely meet their needs Overall, people received their care calls at the times they expected, for the length of time agreed and from care staff they knew. However, we were told of some inconsistencies with the co-ordination of some care calls and communication issues where people were not told of changes in a timely manner. The management were taking steps to address this.
Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to protect people from potential harm. Safeguarding policies and processes were in place.
Medicines and risks associated with people’s care was in line with legislative requirements and recognised best practice guidelines. Staff followed good infection prevention and control practices to keep people and themselves safe.
Staff understood the importance of gaining consent from people. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People's care plans promoted choice and guided staff on how to support people safely and encourage their independence. They included information on what was important to people including their preferences and interests.
People and relatives felt able to raise any issues with the staff and management team and were confident these would be addressed. Staff felt supported and valued in their role by the management team.
Effective systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were in place.
Rating at last inspection
The service was registered with us on 11 November 2020. This is their first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned comprehensive inspection.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk