Newlife Care Providers

Updated 5 March 2019

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 15, 22 and 24 February 2019 and was announced.

We gave the provider 48 hours' notice to ensure someone would be available at the office.

We visited the office location on 15 February 2019 to see the registered manager and reviewed the service’s systems and records. On day two and three of the inspection we made telephone calls to some relatives and staff.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We contacted commissioners from the local authorities who contracted people’s care and other professionals who could comment about people’s care.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and how the service was managed. We looked at care records for four people, recruitment, training and induction records for four staff, staffing rosters, staff meeting minutes and quality assurance audits the registered manager had completed. After the site visit we telephoned and spoke with four relatives and four staff. We were unable to speak with people who used the service on the telephone.

Updated 5 March 2019

This was an announced inspection carried out on 15, 22 and 24 February 2019.

We gave the provider 48 hours' notice to ensure someone would be available at the office.

This was the first rated inspection of Newlife Care Providers Ltd since it was registered in 2016.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults and younger people. At the time of inspection nine people were using the service. We were unable to gather people's views through telephone interviews.

A registered manager was in place. 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.

Staff had received training about safeguarding and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse. There were other opportunities for staff to receive training to meet people’s care needs. A system was in place for staff to receive supervision and appraisal and there were appropriate recruitment processes being used when staff were employed.

Information was accessible and people were involved in decisions about their care. They were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives told us people were kept safe and staff said they felt safe as they supported people. They said there were enough staff available to provide safe and individualised care to people. Staff knew people’s care and support requirements. There was a very good standard of record keeping that accurately reflected people’s care and support needs.

Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks. Staff knew the needs of the people they supported to provide individual care. Care was person-centred and provided with kindness and people’s dignity was respected.

People had food and drink to meet their needs. People were appropriately supported to maintain their health and they received their medicines in a safe way.

A complaints procedure was available. Relatives told us they would feel confident to speak to staff about any concerns if they needed to. People had access to an advocate if required.

A range of systems were in place to monitor and review the quality and effectiveness of the service. People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was regular consultation with people and their views were used to improve the service.