Community Response Team South East

Updated 31 May 2023

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

One inspector carried out the inspection. An Expert by Experience supported the inspection by carrying out phone calls to people and their relatives to gain feedback. 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 houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. A new manager had been in post for two months and had begun the process of applying to CQC to register.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the provider or manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 4 May 2023 and ended on 16 May 2023. We visited the location’s office on 12 May 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 5 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 staff including the manager, service manager, team leaders, senior community reablement assistants and community reablement assistants. 3 further staff provided us with feedback via email. 3 external professionals also provided us with feedback about the service. We looked at a range of records. These included 5 people's records related to their care and support, medicines records, 4 staff recruitment records, staffing rotas and records related to the auditing and monitoring of the service.

Updated 31 May 2023

About the service

Community Response Team South East provides care and support for people who need immediate support to live independently in their own home; this may be as a result of an illness or following a discharge from hospital. They provide short term support for people to regain independence or identify if people require a permanent care provider to meet their longer-term care needs.

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 care and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection all 52 people using the service were receiving help with personal hygiene and eating.

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

People spoke positively about their experiences and felt the service responded effectively in meeting their individual needs.

Systems and processes were in place to safeguard people from potential abuse. There were enough staff to meet the needs of people using the service. Safe infection control procedures were followed.

We have made a recommendation about the provider taking action to ensure records demonstrated risks associated with people’s health conditions were managed safely.

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 worked well with a wide range of health and social care professionals to ensure good outcomes for people. People were supported to regain independence with eating and drinking in line with their needs and preferences.

People benefitted from staff who were well trained and had the skills and knowledge to support them effectively.

Staff spoken with understood the importance of respecting people's privacy, dignity and independence. People and their relative’s confirmed staff were respectful, kind and caring.

People were supported in a person-centred way and people’s communication needs were met.

Systems were in place to gather people's views on the service. Quality assurance systems were effective.

People, staff and external professionals thought the service was well-led. Staff told us they enjoyed working for the service and they felt well supported.

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 14 January 2021 and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service at the previous premises was good, published on 14 April 2018.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Recommendations

We have made a recommendation about the recording of risk management.

Follow up

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