Background to this inspection
Updated
28 June 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.
This inspection took place on 10 and 16 May 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office.
The inspection was carried out by two adult social care inspectors on the first day of the inspection. One adult social care inspector visited the service on the second day of the inspection. Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete 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 improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the completed PIR before the inspection. We also checked other information we held about the service including notifications about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.
During the inspection we spoke with 10 people who used the service by telephone. We visited three people in their own homes and also spoke with two family members. We spoke with the registered manager, the manager and seven staff members. We looked at care records for seven people. We also reviewed records about how the service was managed, including staff training and recruitment records.
Updated
28 June 2017
This inspection took place on 10 and 16 May 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office.
The service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. At the time of our inspection the agency was providing a service for 35 people with a variety of care needs.
The service had a registered manager. 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. The registered manager oversaw the running of the agency and a branch manager undertook the day to day management of the service.
People and their families told us they felt safe and secure when receiving care. Safe recruitment practices were followed and appropriate checks were undertaken, which helped make sure only suitable staff were employed to care for people in their own homes. There were sufficient numbers of staff to maintain the schedule of care visits.
Risk assessments relating to people’s individual risks and those relating to their homes’ environment were detailed and helped reduce risks whilst maintaining people’s independence. People received their medicines safely and staff contacted healthcare professionals when required.
People felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was respected. People were supported to eat and drink when needed. Staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and understood that people had the right to make their own choices.
Staff were responsive to people’s needs which were detailed in care plans. Care plans provided staff with up to date guidance which helped ensure people received personalised care which met their needs.
Staff told us they received regular supervisions and support. They said they felt supported by the management and could visit the office and be listened to.
There were systems in place to monitor quality and safety of the service provided.