Background to this inspection
Updated
3 March 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
This inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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
This inspection was announced. We gave four days' notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit or telephone call from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this.
Inspection activity started on 11 February 2020 and ended on 17 February 2020. We visited the office location on 14 February 2020.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included notifications about various incidents the provider must tell us about. We sought feedback from the local safeguarding authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to send us their 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. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people and four relatives of people who used the service. We received feedback from two health professionals and a social worker about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and five staff including office-based staff and care staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records. We looked at two new staff recruitment file and records relating to training and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including staff meeting minutes, compliments, audits and feedback from people and relatives were also reviewed.
Updated
3 March 2020
About the service
Faith Care Line Services Ltd is a domiciliary care agency providing support to 10 people, of which eight were receiving personal care. This service is provided to older people, people living with dementia, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, physical disability and younger adults.
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.
Staff competence to administer medicines safely had not been effectively assessed and this was against the provider's policy. Risks were identified and managed well. Sufficient staff with appropriate skills were recruited safely and deployed in a way which kept people safe. Staff applied their knowledge of hygiene and safeguarding systems well. One person told us, "I like to go to bed at my preferred time and staff are excellent at doing this for me. I feel safe not being in bed too long." Lessons were learned when things did not go quite so well.
People's assessed needs were met by staff with appropriate skills and whose induction, supervision and training was kept up-to-date. The provider worked well with professionals involved in people's care. People were supported to eat and drink well. Staff enabled people to access healthcare and support services.
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.
Staff supported people with compassion, thought and kindness. One relative told us how genuine and sincere staff were and that staff cared from the heart. People's care was provided with dignity and respected their confidentiality. Staff respected people's privacy and encouraged independence. People had a say in developing their care and how and whom provided this. Support to access advocacy was provided.
People's care needs including preferences and abilities had been identified and acted on. However, guidance for staff how to meet people’s needs was lacking. This put people at risk of their care not being as person centred as it could have been. People knew how, but had not needed, to raise a complaint. Systems and procedures were in place to support people with end of life care and in an emergency situation.
The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities and acted on improvements they had identified. The registered manager had fostered an open and honest staff team culture, staff were supported. People, relatives and staff had a say in how the service was run. Quality assurance, audits and observations of staff practises were effective in identifying what worked well and if any changes were needed. The provider worked well with others to provide people with joined up care.
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 requires improvement (published 2 March 2019) and there was one breach 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 improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous inspection rating.
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.