Gloucester Homecare Services Ltd

Updated 17 September 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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

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 no registered manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. However, the manager in post had submitted their application to CQC to become the registered manager of the service. 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 activity started on 19 August 2019 and ended on 23 August 2019. We visited the office location on 19, 21 and 23 August 2019.

What we did before the inspection

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 was submitted by the previous provider We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with the provider, the manager, Human Resources (HR) and development manager and seven care staff and reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed. We spoke with four people and five relatives during the inspection to gain feedback about the service they received.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 17 September 2019

Gloucester Homecare Services Ltd had recently been taken over by a new provider. People, their relatives and staff all complimented the new provider and told us that they felt supported and that the quality of care had been maintained.

The management team had recognised that the systems used to monitor the service needed further development to ensure that the quality of care being provided would be sustained if the service expanded. For example, improvements were being made to the systems which audited people’s care and medicines records, staff rotas and staff development. A new management team had been employed to assist them in addressing the shortfalls before the service expanded. We have made a recommendation about the governance systems used to monitor the service.

People and their relatives praised the staff and told us all the staff were caring and respectful. They told us arrived on time and their calls were never missed. Staff were passionate in ensuring people received care which was person centred and that people’s dignity and choices were maintained throughout.

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 told us they felt amongst staff and that their privacy and dignity was continually respected at all times. Staff had been trained in safeguarding people and protecting them from harm. Any concerns or accidents were reported and acted on

People’s care needs were assessed and recorded on an electronic care plan system which could be accessed by staff on their mobile devices. However, more details of the actions staff should take to assist them in managing their care needs, medicines and risks were needed for some people.

Progress was being made in identifying and addressing the training and support needs of staff. Staff told us they felt supported and that the new management team were approachable. Staff were safely recruited and suitably inducted into their role. The manager and staff were passionate about the care they delivered and were driven to improve the service. They worked in conjunction with families and other health care professionals to improve the lives for people.

The management team had recognised that the systems used to monitor the service needed further development to ensure that the quality of care being provided would be sustained if the service expanded. For example, improvements were being made to the systems which audited people’s care and medicines records, staff rotas and staff development. A new management team had been employed to assist them in addressing the shortfalls before the service expanded. We have made a recommendation about the governance systems used to monitor the service.

The manager monitored the quality of the delivery of care through staff observations and feedback from people while the monitoring systems were being developed to ensure people were satisfied with the care they received and to check that the care practices of staff were being maintained.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good. (published 11 July 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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