Background to this inspection
Updated
12 October 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.
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 a short period notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 16 September 2019 and ended on 17 September 2019. We visited the office location on both days.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, such as notifications. These inform us of events that happen in the service which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We sought feedback from the local authority. 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
During the inspection, we visited the office and spoke with the registered manager, the nominated individual, the care co-ordinator and a director of the company. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also spoke with four people using the service, three relatives and four members of staff over the telephone.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. The registered manager sent us an action plan addressing the issues identified during the inspection, as well as copies of the updated pre-service assessment form and the job application form.
Updated
12 October 2019
About the service
Curantis Healthcare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, eight people were receiving a service from the agency. 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe and staff were kind and caring. Staff understood how to protect people from harm or discrimination and had access to safeguarding adults’ procedures. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. The registered manager carried out risk assessments to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. People received their medicines safely and were supported to eat and drink in accordance with their care plan. We noted there were some gaps in the recruitment records. The nominated individual took immediate action to address this issue during the inspection.
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’s needs were assessed prior to them using the service. Following the inspection, the registered manager reviewed and updated the pre-service assessment form. The provider had appropriate arrangements to ensure staff received training relevant to their role. New staff completed an induction training programme. Staff felt well supported by the management team. People were supported to access healthcare services.
People and their relatives told us staff were caring and always showed kindness, respect and compassion. People and where appropriate their relatives had been consulted about their care needs and had been involved in the care planning process. Staff worked in respectful ways to maintain people's privacy and dignity. Staff were motivated and demonstrated a clear commitment to providing dignified and compassionate support. People were supported and encouraged to continue hobbies and interests of their choice. People and their relatives had access to a clear complaints procedure.
The nominated individual and registered manager had a clear vision about the quality of care they wanted to provide. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities. The provider had established a number of quality assurance systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service. There was a focus on continuous improvement.
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 15/10/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date the agency first registered with CQC.
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.