Background to this inspection
Updated
14 July 2021
The inspection:
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team:
The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.
Service and service type:
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to adults and children living with complex care and nursing needs.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. A manager who is currently registered with CQC for another location belonging to the provider was working as manager and was going to register with CQC as soon as possible.
Notice of inspection:
The inspection was announced. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We were aware office staff were currently working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. We contacted the manager to ensure someone would be available at the office to speak with us.
What we did before the inspection:
We contacted other agencies who work with the service, including local authority teams. We reviewed statutory notifications sent to us by the service about events that had occurred. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. We spoke with everyone who used the service or their parents and ten care staff.
On this occasion we did not ask the provider to send us 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.
During the inspection:
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records in full and a further three to look at specific areas relating to their care needs and support provided. We also viewed daily notes and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment, induction and supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.
After the inspection We spoke to a paediatric nurse and the head of clinical governance who both work for Newcross Healthcare Limited. We received feedback from continuing healthcare teams and continued to review evidence provided during the inspection process.
Updated
14 July 2021
Newcross Healthcare Solutions Limited (Sussex Service) is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to adults and children in their own homes. On the day of the inspection, the service was supporting six adults and children with a range of complex health and care needs, such as epilepsy, autism, diabetes, physical and sensory impairment.
People received their medicines safely. Auditing had identified some areas for improvement in relation to how medication was documented on Medicine Administration Records (MAR) charts. Although work was in progress, further improvements were needed, particularly in relation to PRN ‘as required medicines’
Some care plans were very detailed, others required more information to inform staff of any needs and risks for that person. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding around safeguarding and knew how to report any concerns.
Support was tailored according to people’s assessed needs with an emphasis on personalised care packages. The service worked closely with people to ensure care needs and preferences were adapted to help people maintain independent lives and remain living at home. For children receiving care and support the service worked with parents when assessing and planning care. 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
Newcross Healthcare Solutions (Limited) provided complex care to adults and children. We spoke to everyone who used the service or their relative. People were happy with the care they or their relative received.
The provider had robust recruitment processes to ensure all appropriate checks were in place. Staff received an induction and training before providing care. A consistent staff team provided care for people. This meant that staff got to know people well and built strong relationships with people and their families. Staff were trained and competencies assessed to ensure they could provide safe care and meet people’s needs. Changes to care needs were reviewed and care documentation updated. If further training needs were identified staff had this provided.
Quality assurance systems were in place to measure and monitor the standard of the service. The provider and manager completed a number of audits. Further reviews were also carried out by the care associate and nurses. Systems supported people to stay safe by assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring that people were cared for in a person-centred way. Actions were identified and taken forward to ensure continued learning and improvement.
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.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right support:
• Staff were employed, trained and allocated to specific care packages to ensure complex care needs could be met. Only allocated staff visited to provide care and support. This meant people received continuity of care.
Right care:
• Care packages were individually tailored and adapted to ensure they met each person’s needs and preferences. Emphasis was placed on promoting people’s independence ensuring their dignity, privacy and human rights at all times.
Right culture:
• The service worked closely with a number of external professionals involved in the day to day management of people’s health needs. Including social workers, paediatric support teams and GP’s. Staff felt well trained and supported to meet people’s needs.
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 10/10/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This is the first inspection for this newly registered service.
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.