Background to this inspection
Updated
16 April 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.’
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one 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:
The service was a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own home.
There was a manager in place, however they had not registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Notice of inspection:
We gave short notice of the inspection so that we could be sure there would be someone available in the office to support the inspection.
What we did:
Prior to the inspection we reviewed all information available to us, including notifications and any information of concern.
During the inspection we spoke with the manager and operations director. We received feedback from four members of staff. We spoke with nine people using the service and three relatives. We reviewed three care plans and risk assessments and reviewed a selection of medicines records. Following the inspection we received a protection plan that the provider had prepared for the local authority safeguarding team.
Updated
16 April 2019
About the service: Mylife living assistance is a domiciliary care agency providing care to people in their own homes.
People’s experience of using this service:
At the time of our inspection, the service was not correctly registered. A new company was running the service but their application was still in process. The application to register had only been made after the new company took over.
There were significant risks facing the service in relation to staffing levels. A number of care staff had left and two office based staff had also left. This had resulted in a situation where the service was continually struggling to meet the demands of their care packages. There were occasions when care was being completed by one member of staff when they had been assessed as requiring two. The provider was rating care packages Red/Amber/Green to help ensure that the highest priority care packages received the care they needed. Some care packages were also being handed back to commissioners. The manager was covering significant numbers of care calls in addition to their role as manager.
People expressed frustration and concern about the staffing situation. However, when care was delivered, people were satisfied with the quality of care they received and felt safe with the staff supporting them.
Due to the staffing pressures and lack of office based support, systems for monitoring the service had lapsed. There was no auditing of care and medicines records taking place, although there was some evidence that people were being asked for their views of the service they received.
Rating at last inspection:
The service was last inspected in July 2018 and received a rating of Good at this time. As a result of this inspection the overall rating for the service has changed to requires improvement.
Why we inspected:
This was a focused inspection in response to concerns we received about the staffing situation at the service.
Follow up:
We have found three breaches of registration at this inspection. The provider will be asked to provide an action plan setting out how they plan to address these breaches.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk