Archived: Mears Care - Liverpool

Updated 11 March 2015

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.

We visited the service on 03 December 2014 and 19 January 2015. The inspection on the 3 December 2014 was announced, we told the provider two days before our visit. We did this as the manager and senior staff could go out into the community to review care plans and visit people and may not be available. The following visit was later on the 19 January 2015 so that the Care Quality Commission could ensure letters had been sent to the people using the service to inform that we may call on them. We chose two people on the original list to visit in their homes; this was agreed by telephone on the day by the people using the service. The inspection team consisted of an Adult Social Care (ASC) lead inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. We focused on talking with the people who used the service and their relatives. Speaking with staff and looking at staff records, care plans and records related to the running of the service.

During our inspection we spoke with seven people who used the service and eleven relatives. We visited two people in the community; we also spoke with eight members of staff. The registered manager and the new manager from 08 December 2014. We looked at the care plans for eight people, and six staff records. We also looked at records that related to how the service was managed.

Before our inspection we reviewed the previous inspection reports and notifications of incidents that the provider had sent to us since the last inspection in October 2013. We also contacted the local commissioners of the service.

We requested information from the provider after the inspection. The information sent by the registered manager was the quality assurance audit records and the medication policy.

Updated 11 March 2015

We undertook an announced inspection of Mears Care Liverpool Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) on 03 December 2014 and the 19 January 2015. We told the provider two days before that we were coming. Mears Care Liverpool provides 5500 hours of care to people living in their own homes in the community. At the time of our inspection there were over 300 people using the service.

During the two days we spoke with seven people using the service five on the telephone and visited two people in the community, we also spoke with eleven relatives involved in the care of the people. We spent time talking with eight members of staff, the registered manager in December 2014 and new manager in January 2015. The new manager is currently registering with the CQC to be the registered manager. There has been no registered manager in post since 8 December 2014. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting requirements of the law; as does the provider.

At our last inspection in October 2013 we found the service was meeting the regulations we looked at.

At this inspection we found a breach of Regulation 22 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. People were not always kept safe as there were not sufficient staff on duty at times to meet people’s needs as agreed in their care plans. The service was not flexible in meeting the changes to care plans as communicated to them by people using the service.

Five people using the service told us they felt safe. Staff were knowledgeable in recognising signs of potential abuse and followed the required reporting procedures.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide the required support and care. There was an on going recruitment drive at the service.

The eight staff we spoke with knew the people they were providing support and care to. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people and their families were involved in making decisions about their care. Five people told us they were happy with their regular care staff and that they followed the care plan.

People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people to meet their healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs.

Although people’s needs had been assessed and care plans developed these did not always adequately inform staff what they should be doing to meet people’s needs effectively. However all of the eight staff we spoke with knew the people very well and in discussions were able to tell us what care and support they provided. Staff also liaised with other healthcare professionals to obtain specialist advice to ensure people received the care and support they needed.

Although there were some systems in place to assess the quality of the service provided there were no action plans implemented when issues were raised.