About the service Care Angels (Batley) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes within Batley 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. At the time of the inspection 34 people were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People repeatedly described the care provided as “exceptional” and “outstanding.” Staff were referred to as angels and we were provided with a number of examples of when staff had gone above and beyond to enhance people’s self-worth and well-being. One person said, “[Registered manager] tells me I am inspirational. Staff treat me like I am inspirational too.” The caring nature of the management team extended to family members and staff also.
Everyone we spoke with told us the service was well-led. The management team and staff had clear roles and responsibilities and were committed to ensuring the service provided was good. There was an emphasis on developing a person-centred culture within the service. Staff praised the skills, commitment and caring nature of the management team.
People and relatives told us the service was person-centred. They said care was delivered in line with preferences and wishes. People were consulted with and involved in developing their care where appropriate. There was a focus on developing independence and promoting relationships and community networks. One person told us their life had changed for the better since they had been supported to attend an activity of their choosing. People told us concerns were proactively addressed by the senior management team. Lessons were learned from any feedback provided.
People told us they felt safe when being supported by staff from Care Angels (Batley). People described staff as reliable. Overall, people said they were supported by a staff team who knew them well. Staff said they were happy with the way their visits were planned and said they were not rushed to complete tasks. Processes continued to be implemented to ensure safeguarding concerns were taken seriously and responded to. Staff were aware of processes to follow should they have any concerns about the care and treatment of people who used the service. Risk was appropriately managed and addressed.
When people required support with diet and nutrition, care plans detailed support required. During the inspection we made some recommendations regarding documenting people’s dietary requirements. The registered manager acted swiftly to make the improvements in line with good practice. Staff told us they were adequately supported by the management team and were happy with the training provided.
Consent was routinely sought in line with good practice. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). 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. Although capacity was routinely assessed, best interests decisions were not always decision specific. We have made a recommendation about this.
Overall, people said they were supported by a staff team who knew them well.
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 31 May 2017).
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.