Myrtle Care Providers Limited

Updated 30 November 2021

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.

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

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 10 November 2021 and ended on 17 November 2021. We visited the office location on 15 November 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do 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 who used the service and one other person’s relative about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with two care workers and the registered manager. We received feedback from three external care professional who had contact with the staff.

We reviewed a range of records. These included sampling three people’s care records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and a variety of records relating to the management of the service. These included policies and procedures, audits, records relating to staff training, compliments, and complaints.

Updated 30 November 2021

Myrtle Care Providers Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care in Hertfordshire. At the time of our inspection seven adults received the service.

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

The provider had systems in place that helped ensure that staff delivered a service that met people's needs and kept them safe, these were not always effective. During this inspection we identified shortfalls in medicines management and risk assessment. The registered manager took immediate action and confirmed all the actions were completed and suitable arrangements were in place to reduce the risk of harm occurring.

Where the provider had identified shortfalls in the service, they took action to bring about improvement. For example, they had identified people’s care plans could be improved to provide increased guidance for staff on how to consistently provide people’s care. The registered manager was part-way through these reviews when we inspected.

We received positive feedback about the service people received and the way it was managed. People and relatives used words such as, “Very good,” “Fabulous,” and “Amazing” to describe the service provided. The registered manager and staff were approachable, accessible, and sought people’s views about the service.

People felt safe receiving the service and were protected from avoidable harm by a staff team trained and confident to recognise and report any concerns.

People were treated with respect and their independence was promoted. They were supported to have enough to eat and drink and to manage and maintain their healthcare needs. Staff liaised with external care professionals to ensure people received the care and support they needed.

Staff had the time to ensure they met people's needs safely, and in a way that suited them. Staff told people if they were going to be late. People received care from a small team of staff who were well trained and felt very well supported.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were involved in making decisions about their care and support. Staff supported people to express their views and consulted them about their care.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 4 May 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.

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.