Archived: Charmes Care

Updated 15 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was announced; we gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection as it was a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure key staff members would be available.

Inspection activity started on 17 December 2018 and ended 28 December 2018. It included home visits to people using the service; telephone conversations with people using the service and their relatives and telephone conversations with staff. We visited the office location on 17 December 2018 and 19 December 2018 to see the registered manager and to review care records, policies and quality assurance processes.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information in the PIR, along with other records we held about the service including notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell the Care Quality Commission about by law.

During the inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service and three people’s relatives by telephone. We visited and spoke with two people in their homes. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, a team leader and four care staff. We looked at care records for eight people. We also reviewed records about how the service was managed, including staff training and recruitment records.

Updated 15 January 2019

Charmes Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. It provides a service to older adults, people living with dementia and younger adults.

At the time of the inspection, the service was providing care and support to 48 people. Each person received a variety of care hours, depending on their level of need. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspect the services being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; such as help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where this is provided, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

Inspection activity started on 17 December 2018 and ended 28 December 2018. This inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection as we needed to be sure key members of staff would be available.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

At our last inspection, in September 2016, the service was rated as Good. At this inspection, we found the service remained Good. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People received safe care. Staff had completed safeguarding adults training and they knew how to manage risks associated with people's care. Risk management plans provided staff with the information they needed to keep people as safe as possible.

Staff had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and people were protected from the risk of infection.

People were supported to receive their medicines by staff who had been trained appropriately and medicine administration records were completed accurately.

There were enough staff to keep people safe and meet their needs. Appropriate recruitment checks had been completed when new staff joined the service.

Staff received a variety of training and demonstrated knowledge, skill and competence to support people effectively. Staff were supported appropriately by the registered manager and deputy manager.

People’s rights were protected in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and staff sought people’s consent appropriately.

People had access to health and social care professionals where required and staff worked together co-operatively and efficiently. People were supported to maintain their nutritional needs.

Staff treated people with kindness, respect and compassion. Staff had built positive relationships with people.

Staff took action to protect people’s dignity and privacy and encouraged people to be independent with all aspects of their daily routines where possible.

People had a clear, detailed and person-centred care plans in place, which guided staff on the most appropriate way to support them. People’s families were invited to be involved in the planning and delivery of their relatives care where appropriate.

The service was responsive to people’s changing needs. Staff were aware of and supported people’s individual communication preferences.

There was a clear process in place to ensure that any concerns raised would be investigated thoroughly.

People, their relatives, and staff members commented positively on the leadership of the service and felt that the service was well-led.

There was open communication between staff in the community and within the office. Staff enjoyed their roles and felt valued in their work.

There were appropriate auditing systems in place, which ensured that issues were acted upon promptly.