Archived: My Little Angels

Updated 30 March 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 was carried out by one inspector and a bank inspector. The bank inspector gathered information from people who used the service, their relatives and staff by speaking with them.

Before the visit we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. Services tell us about important events relating to the care they provide by sending us a notification. In addition, the provider completed 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 used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. This included talking with 12 people, relatives and five members of staff. We looked at documents and records that related to three people’s support and care and the management of the service. We spoke with the registered manager.

Updated 30 March 2015

This inspection took place on the 27 & 28 January 2015. This was an announced inspection which meant the provider knew two days before we would be visiting. This was because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to make sure the provider would be available to support our inspection, or someone who could act on their behalf.

My Little Angels is registered to provide personal care (not nursing) to adults who may have dementia / physical disabilities. At the time of this inspection 22 people were receiving the service which operates from well-equipped premises.

There is a registered manager in post at My Little Angels. 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 was accessible and approachable. Staff, people who used the service and the majority of relatives felt able to speak with the registered manager and provided feedback on the service. However a concern was raised which meant a person was not supported to feel safe when notice was given to them; when the agency had to stop providing care to them.

Staff were knowledgeable of people’s preferences and care needs. People told us the regular staff they had, provided them with the care and support they needed and expected. People using the service, and the relatives we spoke with described the staff as being “very gentle”, “very, very pleasant” and “such nice people”. Staff explained the importance of supporting people to make choices about their daily lives. Where necessary, staff contacted health and social care professionals for guidance and support.

Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse. All staff were clear about how to report any concerns they had. Staff were confident that any concerns raised would be fully investigated to ensure people were protected. However the staff we spoke with were less knowledgeable about the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff said they “felt supported”, and they “received regular supervision.”

Care staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities, and those of the registered manager. However non care staff working for the agency were not clear of theirs. There was no defined company structure and this was causing confusion and an error in responding to a complaint according to the company policy. We discussed this with the registered manager, who agreed to address this immediately.

The registered manager had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided. Staff were aware of the organisation’s visions and values and spoke about being ‘proud’ to work for My Little Angels.