Background to this inspection
Updated
24 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
The inspection was carried out by 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.
Registered Manager
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 we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 the registered manager, two care co-ordinators, the service administrator, six care staff, four people who used the service and four relatives. We looked at seven staff records, seven care records and a range of medicines records. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service.
Updated
24 August 2022
About the service
Eleada Care Services is a domiciliary care agency that provides care and support to people living in their own homes. The service is also registered to provide nursing care. However, the registered manager told us that nursing care was not currently being provided by the service. When we inspected 98 people were being supported by the service. 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People’s care plans and risk assessments were person centred and had been developed with the person and their representative, where appropriate. Risk assessments included guidance for staff on managing and reducing identified risks to people.
People’s risk assessments and care plans included personalised information about risks associated with infection including Covid-19. Staff had received up-to-date training and information about reducing the risk of infection to people. The provider maintained stocks of personal protection equipment (PPE), such as masks, gloves and aprons. People told us staff used appropriate PPE when visiting their homes to provide care.
Some people received support with taking their prescribed medicines. We found that this was managed safely.
.
Staff were recruited safely and the provider had carried out satisfactory checks of their suitability before they commenced work at the service. Induction training was provided to new staff and this was refreshed for all staff on an annual basis.
The provider had an electronic system for rostering staff and monitoring their activities. We saw this was used effectively to identify late or missed calls and follow up on these within 15 minutes. Reasons for late or missed calls were recorded in the electronic system and follow up action was taken with staff where they had failed to log in or had a record of regular lateness. People and relatives told us staff were usually on time and they were informed if they were going to be late for a care visit.
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.
The provider had systems in place to ensure the quality of support to people was maintained and improved. Regular spot checks of care in people’s homes were carried out, and people’s views of the care they received were sought. Monitoring of care and medicines records were undertaken on a regular basis. The provider’s monitoring records showed that actions had been taken to make improvements where there had been failures in people’s care and support.
We found evidence the provider proactively worked with other professionals to ensure people received the care and support they required.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 17 July 2019)
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to anonymous concerns received about care staff and how the service monitored the support people received. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Eleada Care Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.