Archived: Mears Care Plymouth

Updated 20 April 2017

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.

The inspection was undertaken by one adult social care inspector. The inspection took place on 23 and 31 March 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location was a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. We followed up the inspection with phone calls to people who received a service, relatives and healthcare professionals.

We reviewed information we held about the service. This included any notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection we spoke with the manager. We contacted and spoke with fourteen people and five relatives via telephone about the care they received. We also contacted four staff members and two health and social care professionals.

We looked at four records related to people’s individual care needs. These records included support plans, risk assessments and daily monitoring records. We also looked at four staff recruitment files and records associated with the management of the service, including quality audits.

Updated 20 April 2017

The inspection took place on 23 March and 31 March 2017 and was announced. The provider was given notice because the location was a domiciliary care agency (DCA) and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. This was Mears Care Plymouth first inspection since registering with CQC (Care Quality Commission).

Mears Care Plymouth provides a personal care service to people living in their own home. On the days of the inspection 115 people were supported by the agency with their personal care needs.

Prior to our inspection the Commission had received concerns that there had been a high turnover of staff, staff were not turning up for people’s visits at weekends and that there had been a medicine error. At the time of our inspection the service did not have a registered manager in post. A new manager had been appointed and was currently applying for registration with the Commission. 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 said; “Any problems they bend over backwards to help you sort it.” Another person said; “They make him (their loved one) feel safer than I do.” Staff said; “Great place to work.”

People’s care records contained information that described what staff needed to do to provide individual care and support. Staff responded promptly to any changes in people’s needs. If required, relatives and health and social care professionals were involved in identifying people’s needs. People’s preferences, life histories, disabilities and abilities were taken into account, communicated and well documented.

People’s risks were monitored and managed well. The agency had policies and procedures in place which were understood by staff to help protect people and keep them safe.

People were kept safe and protected from discrimination. All staff had completed safeguarding from abuse training. Staff displayed good knowledge on how to report any concerns and described what action they would take to protect people against harm.

People who required assistance were supported and encouraged to maintain a varied and healthy balanced diet.

People medicines were managed safely and people told us they were reminded to take their medicines as required to help ensure they received their medicines as prescribed.

People, relatives and staff were encouraged to be involved and help drive continuous improvements in the way the service was provided. There were effective quality assurance systems in place. This helped ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the service.

The service sought feedback from people and encouraged people to share their concerns and complaints. The manager confirmed they investigated any complaints or concerns thoroughly and used the outcomes as an opportunity for learning to take place.

The manager had completed training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They understood the requirements of the act, and knew how to put this into practice should the need arise.

There were mostly sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. When needed the agency sub-contracted to another local agency to cover any visits not covered by Mears Care Plymouth. Staff were trained and had the correct skills to carry out their roles effectively. The service followed safe recruitment practices to help ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff described the management as open, supportive and approachable. Staff talked positively about their jobs and felt motivated to provide quality care.

Staff received personal protective equipment such as gloves, aprons and hand gels to support good infection control practices.