Background to this inspection
Updated
3 January 2020
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their family homes within the community.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of Inspection
We gave the provider 24 hours' notice of the inspection visit. This was because we needed to make sure staff would be at the office to answer our questions and provide the information we required to carry out our inspection.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. This information helps support our inspections. We used this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives to ask about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager who was also the nominated individual, the care manager, the finance manager and two staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
Updated
3 January 2020
About the service Support
Sandwell Asian Family Support is a domiciliary care service which is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes within the community. At the time of our inspection 14 families received care and support from the service. The age ranges of people being supported were children to young adults.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe. Staff informed us of the signs of abuse and the reporting processes they should follow if they had concerns. People's risks were assessed, and staff had a good understanding of how to minimise them. The provider’s on-going recruitment process ensured there were suitable staff to support people safely. Where required people received their medication as prescribed. Staff followed infection control guidance and had access to personal protective equipment.
People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. People were given choices and their consent was gained before providing support. Staff knew of people’s dietary needs. People had access to healthcare professionals when required.
People were supported by kind and caring staff who knew them well. People's privacy and dignity was maintained. Staff knew it was important to encourage people to maintain their independence.
Assessment and reviews of people’s care and support needs were undertaken regularly or more frequently when it was required. People and /or their relatives were included in these processes to ensure all needs were determined and addressed. People and their relatives knew how to raise concerns and would feel comfortable to do so.
People, relatives and staff spoke positively of the service and the registered manager. Quality assurance systems including spot checks had been used to identify what aspects of the service worked well and where improvements may be needed. Provider feedback surveys had been used to gather information about the views of people and relatives about the service provision.
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.
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 10 August 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.