Bravo Care Branch

Updated 4 May 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and specialist housing.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 24 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 17 March 2022 and ended on 22 March 2022. We visited the location’s office on 17 March 2022.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five members of staff, including the registered manager who is also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also spoke with three care workers and an administration officer.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care records for three people, in relation to their care plan, risk assessments and medicine records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment, supervision and training.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data. We reviewed policies and procedures and records related to the running of the service. We spoke with three relatives about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 4 May 2022

About the service

Bravo Care Branch is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to adults living in their own homes. The service provides support to people with disabilities and older people.

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. At the time of our inspection there were three people receiving a personal care service.

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

We undertook this inspection at the same time as CQC inspected a range of urgent and emergency care

services in North East London. To understand the experience of social care providers and people who use

social care services, we asked a range of questions in relation to accessing urgent and emergency care. The

responses we received have been used to inform and support system wide feedback. Since our inspection visit the provider moved offices and is now based in Surrey.

Risk assessments were carried out to protect people from the risks of avoidable harm. Where risks to people had been identified, this did not always provide details on how to manage all risks. This could put people at risk of receiving unsafe care. We have made a recommendation about the recording of risks. Processes for reporting incidents and accidents were not always effective in ensuring the registered manager was informed of these. This meant the provider was unable to respond to possible concerns to prevent further incidents. We have made a recommendation about systems for reporting incidents and accidents.

Systems for managing the service were not always effective in ensuring records were accurate and up to date. We have made a recommendation about record management systems.

People felt safe with care staff who understood their needs. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures. Medicines were managed safely, and people were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. The provider had a system in place to learn lessons from accidents and incidents.

Staff were supported in their role with training and supervision. People’s care needs were assessed before they began to use the service. Staff supported people with their nutritional, hydration and healthcare needs.

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.

Staff demonstrated they knew people and their care needs well. People received care from staff who were caring and kind. The provider and staff understood how to provide a fair and equal service. People were involved in their care planning and were encouraged to make choices. Staff understood how to maintain people’s privacy, dignity and independence.

Staff understood how to provide a personalised care service. The provider understood how to meet people’s communication needs. People were supported to maintain contact with family and friends. There was a system in place for people to make a complaint.

Relatives and staff spoke positively about the leadership in the service. The provider had a system to check the quality of the service provided and to identify areas for improvement. There was a system to obtain feedback from people using the service and staff. The provider worked jointly with other agencies to achieve good outcomes for people.

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 07/12/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the service starting to provide support with personal care in March 2021.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.