Archived: Weymouth - Care at Home

Updated 20 November 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

On the first day the inspection team consisted of one inspector. On the second day the inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert by Experience who contacted people by telephone. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was 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 site visit activity started on 22 October 2019 and ended on 23 October 2019. We visited the office location on both dates and visited people in their homes on the second date.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 13 people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, operations manager, care coordinator, training officer and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. Also, a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, surveys and weekly reports were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We also received written feedback from a healthcare professional who regularly works alongside the service.

Updated 20 November 2019

About the service

Weymouth Care at Home is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the service provided personal care and support to 126 people living their own homes in the Weymouth and surrounding areas.

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

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. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. When people were unable to make decisions about their care and support, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) were followed.

People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. Staff demonstrated a good awareness of safeguarding procedures and knew who to inform if they witnessed or had an allegation of abuse reported to them.

People and their relatives were very positive about the service and the care provided. A relative said, “This is a great care company and we are very happy with the care and support we get. Sometimes the carers are quick to pick up on any marks so help to prevent bed sores.”

Sufficient staff were available to meet people's needs, and people told us they were supported by staff they knew. Some people were disappointed that they did not receive a rota informing them who would be coming and at what time. The service was addressing these concerns.

The service continued to be effective. People's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. Care was delivered by staff who were well trained and knowledgeable about people's care and support needs. Staff told us they were happy working for the service and there were opportunities for development.

Staff were responsive to people's individual needs and wishes and had an in-depth knowledge about each person. People were supported to access healthcare services if needed.

The service advised people of the action to take if they wished to make a complaint or were not happy with the providers response. People told us they knew how to complain if they needed to, and were confident if they had any concerns these would be addressed by the service.

People received support to take their medicines safely. Risks to people's well-being and their home environment were recorded and updated when their circumstances changed. Where errors occurred, the service learnt lessons.

The service continued to be well led and benefitted from clear and consistent leadership. The registered manager had a clear vision about the quality of care they wanted to provide. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of care provided and continuously improve the service. The management team and staff engaged well with other services and had developed positive relationships.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update:

The last rating for this service was Good (published 06 January 2017). At this inspection the service remained Good.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.