K D Care Limited

Updated 11 April 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.’

This was a comprehensive inspection, which took place because we carry out comprehensive inspections of services rated Good at least once every two years. This inspection took place on 16 February 2017 and was announced. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because we needed the provider to be available during the inspection. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place in the home, which the provider is required to tell us by law. We used all this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.

We visited the agency’s office, which was situated in the grounds of a private house. We spoke with the provider and the administrator of the agency. Following the inspection visit we spoke with one person who was supported by the agency and two relatives of people who were supported by the agency. We spoke on the telephone to three members of staff to gain their views about the agency.

We looked at the provider’s records. These included two people’s care records, which included care plans, health records, risk assessments and daily care records. We looked at a sample of audits, one recruitment record for the newest member of staff and satisfaction surveys.

Updated 11 April 2017

We inspected the service on 16 February 2017. The inspection was announced.

KD Care is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and support for people living in their own homes. The agency provides ‘live-in’ carers, twenty-four hours per day, either for long term care, or for respite care. The agency office is based in Bobbing, near Sittingbourne and is easily accessible for staff and visitors. The provider has ensured that the agency office is accessible to people who may have a mobility disability. At the time of the inspection the agency was providing support to five people. Most people were privately funded, occasionally people were funded by the local authority or through NHS continuing care services.

At the last Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection on 13 May 2015, the service was rated Good in all domains and overall.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The agency is run by the provider who is also the registered manager of the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The provider and staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The agency continued to have suitable processes in place to safeguard people from different forms of abuse. Staff had been trained in safeguarding people and in the agency’s whistleblowing policy. They were confident that they could raise any matters of concern with the provider, or the local authority safeguarding team. Staff were trained in how to respond in an emergency (such as a fire, or if the person collapsed) to protect people from harm.

The agency provided sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and provided a flexible service. The agency had robust recruitment practices in place. Applicants were assessed as suitable for their job roles. Refresher training was provided at regular intervals. All staff received induction training which included essential subjects such as maintaining confidentiality, moving and handling, safeguarding adults and infection control. They worked alongside experienced staff and had their competency assessed before they were allowed to work on their own.

The provider carried out risk assessments when they visited people for the first time. Other assessments identified people’s specific health and care needs, their mental health needs, medicines management, and any equipment needed.

Incidents and accidents were recorded and checked by the provider to see what steps could be taken to prevent these happening again. The risk in the service was assessed and the steps to be taken to minimise them were understood by staff.

The provider involved people in planning their care by assessing their needs on the first visit to the person, and then by asking people if they were happy with the care they received.

Staff had been trained to administer medicines safely. They followed an up to date medicines policy issued by the provider and they were checked against this by the provider.

People were supported with meal planning, preparation and eating and drinking. Staff supported people, by contacting the office to alert the provider to any identified health needs so that their doctor or nurse could be informed.

People said that they knew they could contact the provider at any time, and they felt confident about raising any concerns or other issues. The provider carried out spot checks to assess care staff’s work and procedures, with people’s prior agreement. This enabled people to get to know the provider.

The agency had processes in place to monitor the delivery of the service. As well as talking to the provider at spot checks, people could phone the office at any time.

People’s views were also obtained through annual surveys. These could be completed anonymously if people wished. The provider analysed these and checked how well people felt the agency was meeting their need.