Background to this inspection
Updated
26 September 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.
Our inspection was discussed and arranged with the registered manager two working days in advance. This was to ensure we had time to visit and contact people who used the service and speak with the registered manager and staff.
Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, including notifications of incidents that the registered manager had sent us and feedback from the local authority. Before the inspection the registered provider was asked to complete a provider information return (PIR). A PIR asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
At the time of this inspection the agency was supporting 50 people who wished to retain their independence and continue living in their own home. Some people had their care purchased by a local authority, some were funding their own care through direct payments and others were paying privately for the service.
The inspection team consisted of one adult care inspector and an expert-by-experience. An expert-by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert by experience had experience of supporting and caring for older people.
On 29 August 2017 we spoke with three people and six relatives over the telephone and visited four people who used the service at their home to ask their opinions of the service and to check their care files. Whilst on visits we also met with one relative and spoke with one of the care staff that was providing care to a person who used the service.
On 30 August 2017 we visited the agency office and spoke with the registered manager and six care workers. We also reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the domiciliary care agency was managed. These included care records for four people, including their medicine administration record (MAR's), four staff training, support and employment records, quality assurance audits and findings from questionnaires that the registered provider had sent to people.
We also sent out questionnaires to people who used the service, relatives and healthcare professionals. We received information back from 18 people who used the service and four relatives.
Updated
26 September 2017
We undertook an announced inspection of Homecare4u Doncaster on 29 and 30 August 2017. We gave the registered manager short notice that we would be coming because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to ensure the registered manager was available.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘ Homecare4u Doncaster ‘ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk’
There was a manager at the service who was registered with CQC. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People spoke very highly about the staff who visited them. People told us the staff were always kind and caring towards them. People who used the service and relatives also said staff interacted in a positive and warm way towards them.
People were protected from harm because the registered provider had systems in place to minimise risks to them from abuse. This included a recruitment process which involved completing thorough checks on people before they were offered a job.
People benefited because they were supported by staff that had been trained to understand how to provide effective care that met their needs.
People received care that was delivered in line with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) because they were supported to make day to day choices and decisions about their lives.
People enjoyed the food provided and were supported by the care workers to receive adequate food and drink to remain healthy.
The majority of people told us they had the same small number of care workers, who they had built up positive relationships with and who they trusted. They also said all expected tasks were completed before staff left their homes and they felt staff were supportive and considerate in their approach.
We found there were enough staff to make sure people received the care they had requested and at the agreed times. People told us their care workers were generally on time and if they were likely to be late for any reason, the care worker or the office staff would phone to let the them know.
Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. However, people's care plans could be further personalised to reflect their specific needs and wishes.
Staff supported people to maintain their independence and continue to join in with social activities and hobbies that they enjoyed.
Clear information about the service, the management, the facilities, and how to complain was provided to people. People's views were sought and acted upon and the registered manager took account of people's comments and suggestions.
Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager. Quality assurance audits were carried out to identify how the service could improve and the registered manager had an on-going and effective improvement plan for the service.