This inspection took place on 18 December 2015 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our intention to undertake the inspection. This was because the service provides domiciliary care to people in their own homes and we needed to make sure someone would be available at the office.
Bewdley Care Ltd provides personal care for people in their own home. On the day of our inspection there were 135 people receiving services for which CQC registration was required.
A registered manager was in post at the time and was present at the time of our inspection.
A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were protected from the risk of potential abuse and felt safe with the staff that cared for them. Individual risks were assessed, agreed with people and written plans put in place for staff to follow in order to keep people safe. There were enough staff employed to care for people, so staff had enough time to spend with the person they were caring for. Staff supported people in the administration of their medicines and, checks were performed to ensure no mistakes were made.
Staff had the skills and knowledge to care for people effectively. Staff received regular training based on the needs of people using the service.
Staff knew people well and understood their histories and preferences so they were able to ensure they delivered the care and support that met individual’s needs. People were involved in making decisions about their care, through involvement in assessments, care planning and care reviews. Staff supported people to make healthy choices about what they ate and drank, so maintaining good health. Staff knew the details of people’s specific dietary requirements in order to keep them safe and well.
People’s consent was appropriately obtained by staff when caring for them. If people’s ability to make decisions changed, senior staff involved people’s relatives and other professionals, so that care would continue to be delivered in the best way
Staff had small geographical areas to cover which helped staff build relationships with the people they cared for. People felt staff were very caring. Staff supported people to maintain their dignity and people were confident that staff respected their right to confidentiality.
The registered manager, provider and staff regularly sought feedback about the service they provided from people who used the service and their relatives. Regular checks and audits were in place to monitor the quality of the service.