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LJ Sure Mercies

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

19 The Wye, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 6EJ

Provided and run by:
LJ Sure Mercies Care Ltd

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

LJ Sure Mercies is a domiciliary service supporting people in their own homes in the community. At the time of our assessment the service was supporting 8 people. Assessment activity took place between 16 April, and we visited the service on 17 September. This was the first assessment of this service carried out under our single assessment framework. We looked at 14 quality statements: safe systems and pathways, safeguarding, involving people to manage risk, safe environments, infection prevention and control, safe and effective staffing, medicines optimisation, shared direction and culture, capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders, freedom to speak up, governance and assurance, partnership and communities and learning, improvement and innovation. During the assessment, we received feedback from relatives of people who used the service, staff, registered manager and office staff. We looked at a range of records, policies and procedures and how medicines were managed.

9 June 2023

During a routine inspection

About the service

LJ Sure Mercies is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there was 9 people using the service. The service provides support to older people, people and people living with dementia.

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

Medicines were not always managed in a safe way. Risk management plans were not always detailed and did not give staff clear guidance to help mitigate risks. The provider needed to introduce more robust systems to monitor the service as they did not identify the issues we found during the inspection. We made a recommendation to the provider to implement more robust monitoring procedures. The registered manager took prompt action to address the issues we found during the inspection.

Staff were recruited safely. People were notified when staff were running late. The registered manager was recording all accidents and incidents, and these were discussed in team meetings to improve practice.

The registered manager was not recording staff’s induction process which meant we could not be assured they had the training to carry out their role. People’s nutritional needs were recorded. People receiving care, relatives and staff told us they felt the service was well run.

Staff completed training and received support to ensure they had the appropriate skills to meet people's care needs in a safe and effective manner. People’s needs were assessed, and this information was used to help the registered manager agree the person’s care needs.

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.

People’s care was personalised, and it was clear that staff knew people well. The registered manager had procedures in place for dealing with complaints.

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 3 September 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.

Recommendation

We made a recommendation to the provider to implement more robust procedures for monitoring the service.

Follow up

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