Archived: Mediline Home Care Halifax Branch

Updated 1 February 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 10 January 2019 and was announced. We gave the service short notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure staff would be present in the office. The inspection was carried out by two adult social care inspectors 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.

At the time of this inspection, 52 people were receiving support and 28 staff were employed.

Prior to the inspection, we gathered information from several sources. We reviewed the information we held about the service, which included correspondence we had received, and notifications submitted to us by the service. A notification should be sent to CQC every time a significant incident has taken place. For example, where a person who uses the service experiences a serious injury.

We asked the service to send a provider information return (PIR) before this inspection. 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 telephoned and spoke at length with eight people and three relatives. We visited the service’s office to see and speak with the registered manager, director of services and the head of human resources and recruitment.

We reviewed a range of records, which included care records for four people, four staff training, support and employment records and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 1 February 2019

The inspection took place on 10 January 2019. The inspection was announced to make sure someone would be available. This is the first inspection the service has received since moving premises in 2016.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. It provides a service to older adults who may have a sensory impairment. At the time of inspection there were 52 people receiving personal care.

The home had a registered manager 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.

People and relatives spoke positively about the support provided to them and their family members. Both people and families said they felt safe and care workers were respectful and kind.

We found there were systems in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff we spoke with could explain the procedures to follow should an allegation of abuse be made.

Assessments identified risks to people, and management plans to reduce the risks were in place to ensure people's safety.

Staff recruitment records were robust and promoted people’s safety.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration of medicines.

There were appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service. However, some staff felt more staff would be advantageous.

Staff were provided with relevant training to ensure they had the skills needed to support people.

Staff were provided with supervision and appraisal for development and support. The manager had put a plan in place to ensure all staff received an appraisal annually.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The registered provider’s policies and systems supported this practice. People had consented to receiving care and support.

Staff knew each person they were supporting well and had developed a positive relationship with them. In our conversations with staff they displayed compassion, consideration and respect for people.

People and families of people supported told us they could talk to care staff and the registered manager. They said if they had any concerns or worries they were confident the registered manager and staff would listen to them and look at ways of resolving their issues.

There were a variety of methods available for the registered provider to assess and monitor the quality of the service. We found quality assurance processes were effective in ensuring compliance with regulations and identifying areas requiring improvement and acting on them.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.