Archived: Birmingham Business Associate Limited

Updated 8 April 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.

The inspection took place on the 8 March 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care to people in their own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be available to meet with us. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

We looked at the information we held about the service. This included notifications received from the provider which they are required to send us by law. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We contacted the local social care authorities that purchased the care on behalf of people, to ask them for information they held about the service.

We spoke with four people that used the service, five relatives, five care staff, the registered manager, a care consultant and a senior member of the care staff. We looked at records that included four people’s care records and the recruitment and training records of three staff. This was to check that recruitment, training and support for staff were sufficient for them to provide good quality care. We also looked at other records relating to the monitoring of the quality of the service including complaints and audits completed by the provider.

Updated 8 April 2016

This inspection took place on 8 March 2016 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice that we would be visiting the service. This was because the service provides domiciliary care to people living in their own homes and we wanted to make sure staff would be available. At our last inspection in March 2015, the provider was found to be requiring improvement. This included recruitment checks, safe management of people’s medicines and ineffective systems in place to encourage feedback from people. We re-inspected the service within 12 months as this is the standard set by CQC and found there had been improvements made to these areas.

Birmingham Business Associate Limited is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The service currently provides care and support to 15 people, ranging in age, gender, ethnicity and disability.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. 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 provider had made improvements to their quality assurance and audit systems to monitor the care and support people received. However, improvement was required in matching staff with the right skills to meet people’s individual needs. The frequency of staff supervision and spot checks also required some improvement.

People were left safe and secure in their homes. People were kept safe and protected from harm because staff understood their responsibility to take action to protect people. The provider had processes and systems in place that kept people safe and protected them from the risk of harm.

People were involved in planning their care and management of any risks identified in relation to the care they received. People received care and support from staff that were trained and supported to carry out their roles.

People were supported by staff that had been safely recruited. People were supported with their medication by staff that had received appropriate training.

People and relatives felt staff had the skills and knowledge to care and support people in their homes. Where appropriate, people were supported to access health and social care professionals.

The provider was taking the appropriate action to protect people’s rights to ensure their liberty was not being restricted.

People and relatives felt the staff was caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People felt their independence was respected and promoted and staff responded to people’s support needs.

People and relatives felt they could speak with the provider about worries or concerns and felt they would be listened to and have their concerns addressed.