Archived: First Class Care Agency

Updated 20 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

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.

What we did before the inspection

Inspection site visit activity started on 17 June 2019 and ended on 24 June 2019. We visited the office location on 19 June 2019 to see the registered manager and staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We made telephone calls to people and their families on 24 June 2019.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four members of staff including registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We spoke with four people that used the service and two relatives.

Updated 20 July 2019

About the service

First Class Care Agency is a domiciliary care agency. This service provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. At the time of this inspection 23 people were using 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 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.

People received a safe service. Staff knew how to keep people safe and they were knowledgeable of safeguarding procedures. Risks to people's safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action was taken to keep people safe. When people were at risk staff had access to assessments and understood the actions needed to minimise avoidable harm. There were always enough staff deployed to meet people's needs. Medicines were administered and managed safely by trained and competent staff.

Staff had formed positive caring relationships with people who used the service and their relatives. People and their families consistently told us how well looked after they were, and staff were respectful. People's dignity and privacy was maintained, and people felt in control of their lives.

There were quality assurance and auditing processes in place and they contributed to service improvements. The registered manager provided clear and direct leadership to staff who had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

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 11 November 2016)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.