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Archived: HICA Home Care - Grimsby

Unit 3 Acorn Business Park, Moss Road, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, DN32 0LT (01472) 362022

Provided and run by:
H I C A

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

10, 13 February 2014

During a routine inspection

People said they were asked what help they required and how they wanted to be supported. One person’s relative told us, “I don’t know what I would do without this service; my mum and I are involved all the time in the planning of my mum’s care.”

Care plans included information on how to preserve people’s dignity. One person’s relative told us how their family member felt the service had, “Given her dignity back to her. It was one of the worst things for my mum to feel as if she had lost her dignity but HICA have really gone above and beyond to address that.”

We reviewed the service’s protocol on infection prevention and control (IPC). People who used the service told us staff wore appropriate clothing when undertaking care and cleaning tasks; one person said, “Yes, they always wear disposable gloves and aprons. They take them off as soon as they have finished my personal care and put it in the special bin I have and then they always wash their hands.”

We reviewed five care plans and saw each person who received care had an individual risk assessment for medication. We saw the medication administration records (MARs) and checked their accuracy to ensure people were received their prescribed medication as directed.

We found records were kept securely and could be located promptly when needed. Computerised systems were protected with passwords and levels of access were dictated by levels of seniority within the organisation.

23 January 2013

During a routine inspection

As part of this review we contacted five people by telephone to discuss the service they received from the agency. Where people were unable to speak to us over the telephone we spoke to their relatives.

People we spoke with were positive about the care and support they received. They told us they were able to be as independent as possible and that their privacy and dignity was respected. Comments included “I am able to say what needs doing and this is in the care plan”, “I was asked about the start times and they were pretty good about this and then they changed the time when I asked them to” and “They are not intrusive and they don’t rush me.”

People told us that they had their needs assessed and had a care plan which had been discussed and agreed with them. They told us that the care plans were regularly reviewed and updated if necessary. One person told us “They did an assessment and care plan, we went through this and I signed it.”

We found that there were well developed computer systems in place for planning rotas. However people told us that they were not always informed if there were to be any changes to their rota such as a change of care worker or change of time.

We found there were effective recruitment and selection processes in place and appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. People we spoke with told us, ”The staff seem competent, even new ones, and they look at my care plan before they start to assist me.”

20 September 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

Care is provided in people's homes and although we were not able to visit anyone who uses the service, the manager arranged for us to speak with some people by telephone.

People we spoke with told us that they were satisfied with the care they received and that if they had any complaints they would raise these with the supervisor at the on site office. We asked people if the carers visited them on the dates and times that had been planned and they told us that they did. We received comments such as 'The carers are very good', 'They always turn up when they should' and 'I can't complain about anything, they are very good'.

The manager obtains the views of people who use the service by sending out questionnaires. These are sent out to everyone on an annual basis and also to targeted sample groups on a monthly basis to obtain real time feedback.

We looked at examples of questionnaires that had returned and the feedback we saw told us that overall people who use the service were satisfied with the care they received. Where any issues had been identified, for example if a negative comment or score was received, the manager addressed this at the time.