Holywell Care Services (Preston)

Updated 26 June 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, 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 adult social care inspectors and one expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means 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 hour’s notice of the inspection. This was to ensure the registered manager was available to the support the process.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to our inspection we checked all the information we held about the service. This included any feedback, concerns or statutory notifications the service is required to send to us by law. We also checked the provider information return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

To understand the experiences of people using the service we spoke with 11 people in receipt of care and seven family members. We also spoke with four care staff members, the training manager and the registered manager, who took overall responsibility for the service. We looked at a number of records which included, three care records, staff files, team meeting minutes, training records and documents relating to the operation of the service.

Updated 26 June 2019

About the service

Holywell Domiciliary Care Services is a Domiciliary Care service. At the time of the inspection 80 people were in receipt of care in their own homes.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The registered manager confirmed they would ensure records relating to staff performance and disciplinaries were completed in full, we made a recommendation about this. People told us they felt safe. Systems were in place to record and act on any concerns. Visits were allocated on a computerised system. People told us sometimes their visit times were changed, but said they were informed of this. Staff were recruited safely. Medicines were managed well.

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.

Staff had undertaken a range of training, which supported them to deliver effective care to people. All people we spoke with told us they were happy with the skills of the staff team. Staff always asked for permission before undertaking any care or activity with them. People told us they were supported with their food and fluids.

All people and relatives we spoke with told us people who used the service received good care from the staff. People were treated with respect, their privacy and dignity was maintained.

Care files contained information about how to support people’s individual needs. People we spoke with confirmed they had been involved in their development. Peoples individual communication needs were generally considered.

Systems to deal with complaints were in place. Positive feedback was seen. The service asked for people’s views. We received positive feedback about the registered manager. The registered manager understood the operation and management of the service.

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

Rating at last inspection

The service was rated good at the last inspection (Published on 3 December 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous ratings.

Follow up

The service will be re-inspected as per our inspection programme. We will continue to monitor any information we receive about the service. The inspection may be brought forward if any risks are identified.