Background to this inspection
Updated
16 September 2022
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
One inspector carried out this performance review and assessment.
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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. We announced the inspection. This was because the inspection took place remotely. Inspection activity started on 26 May 2022 and ended on 19 July 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our 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.
During the inspection
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and relatives, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation. We contacted staff via email. We received feedback from five people, 10 relatives and six staff.
Updated
16 September 2022
About the service
Comfort Call - Sunderland is a domiciliary care service providing personal care. At the time of our inspection there were 216 people using the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Most people and relatives gave positive feedback about the service and said they usually received their care when it was due. They especially praised the skills and abilities of the care staff and confirmed they felt safe.
Staff said they received good support and the training they needed. However, staff gave mixed responses about how manageable their rotas were.
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.
Safeguarding concerns, incidents and accidents were investigated. Where required, action was taken to help keep people safe. Medicines were managed correctly and staff followed good IPC practices. New staff were recruited safely.
People's needs had been assessed to determine their care package. This included looking at people’s religious, cultural and lifestyle needs. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink and to access other health services when needed.
Care plans were personalised and contained the information staff needed to support people appropriately. Complaints were investigated in line with the provider’s policies and procedures. This included identifying areas for improvement.
The provider had a structured approach to quality assurance which included various checks on people’s care. People, relatives and staff had opportunities to provide feedback, which the provider reviewed. The provider had developed a service improvement plans to help promote on-going development of the service.
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 14 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.