Background to this inspection
Updated
18 March 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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2012, 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 10 and 15 February 2016. The inspection was carried out by one inspector. 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 also reviewed information we held about the provider including, for example, statutory notifications that they had sent us. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us.
During the inspection we spoke with three people at their homes, two relatives, three staff members, registered manager and the manager from one of the homes. We looked at care plans relating to three people and two staff files. We looked at policies and procedures the service used and reviewed records related to the management and quality assurance of the service.
Updated
18 March 2016
The inspection took place on 10 and 15 February 2016 and was announced to make sure that the people we needed to speak with were available. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection. At our last inspection on 01 July 2014, the service was found to be meeting the required standards in the areas we looked at. At this inspection we found they continued to meet the standards. St Elizabeth Domiciliary Care Agency provides care for young adults, both on-site and in nearby Bishop's Stortford. It is a part of St Elizabeth's Centre who supports adults with severe epilepsy and other neurological conditions. People have their own tenancy agreements and are supported by staff who are available 24 hours. People attend college to enable them to go through the educational process as part of integration into the community. They are supported to develop life skills and academic skills. After three years they are supported with transition and will leave the tenancy.
There was a registered manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were supported by St Elizabeth’s to live in their own homes.
People felt safe, happy and were looked after in their homes. Staff had received training on how to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and knew how to report concerns both internally and externally. Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed to help ensure that all staff were suitably qualified and experienced.
Staff completed regular health and safety checks that included security and fire safety.
Relatives and healthcare professionals were positive about the skills, experience and abilities of staff who worked in people’s homes. Staff received training and refresher updates relevant to their roles and had regular supervision meetings to discuss and review their development and performance.
People were supported to maintain good health and had access to health and social care professionals when necessary. People were supported to eat a healthy and varied diet.
Staff made considerable efforts to ascertain people’s wishes and obtain their consent before providing personal care and support, which they did in a kind and compassionate way. Information about local advocacy services was available to help people access independent advice if required.
Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with the people they supported and clearly knew them well. People were involved in the planning, delivery and reviews of the care and support provided. The confidentiality of information held about their medical and personal histories was securely maintained in the office.
Care was provided in a way that promoted people’s dignity and respected their privacy. People received personalised care and support that met their needs and took account of their preferences. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s background histories, preferences, routines and personal circumstances.
People were supported to pursue social interests and take part in meaningful activities relevant to their needs, both at their home and in the wider community. They felt that staff listened to them and responded to any concerns they had in a positive way. Complaints were recorded and investigated thoroughly with learning outcomes used to make improvements where necessary.
Relatives and staff were complimentary about the registered manager and how the service was run and operated. Appropriate steps were taken to monitor the quality of services provided, reduce potential risks and drive improvement.