In Home Care (Fareham)

Updated 31 August 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

This inspection was completed by two inspectors and an 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

In Home Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 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 8 July 2022 and ended on 25 July 2022. We visited the location’s office on 20 July 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service including notifications. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). 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 six people who used the service about their experience of the care provided and four relatives. We received feedback from eight members of staff and spoke with a company director and the registered manager. We received feedback from one social care professional.

We reviewed a range of records, including seven people's care records and five staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We looked at records in relation to the management of the service, such as policies and procedure and training data.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 31 August 2022

About the service

In home care is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. 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. There were 25 people being provided with personal care at the time of our inspection.

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

People told us they felt safe and secure when receiving care. People were supported to meet their nutritional and hydration needs, medicines were safely managed, staff contacted healthcare professionals when required.

Staff followed infection prevention measures. People told us staff washed their hands when they entered their homes and when they left and that all care staff wore a face mask all times when in their home.

Safe recruitment practices were followed and appropriate checks were undertaken, which helped make sure only suitable staff were employed to care for people in their own homes. People told us there were mostly enough care staff to maintain the schedule of visits but on occasion some calls had been delayed. Staff told us they felt supported and received regular supervision and training.

Care plans reflected people's individual needs and choices which staff were aware of and responsive to. People's risk assessments and risks relating to their home environment were completed and helped reduce risks to people while maintaining their independence.

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 understood consent and were clear people had the right to make their own choices.

The management team were open and transparent and understood their regulatory responsibilities.

There were systems and processes in place for assessing, monitoring and improving the quality of the care provided by the service.

The management team kept in regular contact with people, checking if they were happy with the service they received and if any changes were needed.

The service worked well with other partners, organisations and commissioners.

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

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 21 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

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