Considerate Home Care

Updated 1 June 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

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

This inspection was announced. We gave a short period notice of the inspection 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.

Inspection activity started on 20 April and ended on 25 April 2022. We visited the location’s office on 20 April 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During our inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the nominated individual and three care staff. We also spoke with one person who used the service and two relatives of people using the service. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We looked at a range of documents and written records including two people's care records, two staff recruitment records and information relating to staff training and the auditing and monitoring of service provision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We continued to look at records the registered manager shared with us, and responses from health and social care professionals.

Updated 1 June 2022

About the service

Considerate Home Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people living 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, there were two people receiving personal care.

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

People told us they felt safe and staff were kind and caring. Staff understood how to protect people from harm or discrimination and had access to safeguarding adults' procedures. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety.

Risks to people were assessed and their safety was monitored and well managed. Safe recruitment processes were followed to make sure the right staff were employed. Infection prevention and control practices were followed to minimise the spread of infection, including those related to COVID-19.

People's needs and choices were assessed to make sure the service was right for them. Staff were knowledgeable about people and provided them with the care and support they needed in a way they preferred.

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.

Staff received the training, supervision and support they needed. People attended regular routine health screening where this was part of their care package. Staff worked closely with other health care professionals to ensure people's health needs were met.

Staff and the managers spoke with compassion and empathy about people who used the service. People were involved in decisions about their care and support. There was a clear commitment and focus on supporting people to develop their independence and choices.

People were treated well and with respect. People and family members described staff as caring, kind, thoughtful and patient. Staff respected people's privacy, dignity and independence and their right to confidentiality. People and family members were encouraged to express their views and opinions and make decisions about the care provided.

People and their relatives had access to a complaint's procedure, if they wished to raise a concern. The registered manager carried out audits to check the quality and safety of the service. Spot checks were carried out to monitor staff performance. People were asked for their views and any suggestions were used to improve the service and make necessary changes.

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 19 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.