Care Avenues Limited

Updated 14 December 2019

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, an assistant 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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own home.

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 service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. The inspection started on 22 October 2019 and ended on 23 October 2019. We visited the office location on both dates.

What we did before the inspection

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. 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 took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

During our visit to the office, we spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, a care co-ordinator and seven members of care staff. Following the inspection, an Expert by Experience also spoke with five relatives of people who used the service and the inspector spoke with three service users and two relatives.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records. We also looked at a variety of records in relation to staff training, staff supervision, complaints, safeguarding concerns, minutes of meetings, action plans and numerous audits that provided the registered manager with oversight of the service.

Updated 14 December 2019

About the service

Care Avenues Limited is a domiciliary care service registered to provide personal care. At the time of the inspection the service was providing care to 60 people in their own homes.

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.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Nine months after our last inspection, a new manager was appointed at the service. The new manager had identified a number of areas for action and was working to address the issues raised at our last inspection. Action plans and audits were in place to drive improvement in the service and provide the registered manager with oversight of the service. However, this remained a work in progress and was continually being re-assessed. Audits to log books were not completed in a timely manner resulting in a delay in action being taken when errors were highlighted. Audits to staff recruitment files had failed to highlight missing information which was identified during inspection.

People were happy with the service they received and told us they would recommend it. Staff felt supported in their role and were on board with the registered manager’s vision for the service, which was to provide people with person centred care. People’s views of the service were sought and acted on where appropriate.

People were supported by staff who were aware of the risks to them and how to support them safely in line with their care needs. Staff had received training in how to recognise signs of abuse and were aware of their responsibilities to report and act on any concerns that came to their attention. People were supported to receive their medication as prescribed. Staff had been recruited safely. There was a system in place to monitor calls to people and alert management to any potential late or missed calls.

Staff received an induction that provided them with the training, information and support they required to effectively and safely meet people’s needs. Staff felt supported and well trained. Staff practice was observed to ensure people were supported safely and in-line with their care needs.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported by a consistent group of care staff who were aware of people’s healthcare needs and supported them to access healthcare services, where appropriate. People were supported where appropriate at mealtimes.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and routinely encouraged people to be involved in decisions regarding their care. Staff were described as kind and caring and people received care and support based on their individual assessment, needs and preferences.

There were systems in place to respond to and act on any complaints received. People were confident that if they raised a complaint they would be listened to and it would be acted on.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 25 October 2018) and there were two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvement shad been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk