Cumbria Quality Care Limited

Updated 19 February 2019

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.

This comprehensive inspection was carried out between 16 and 24 January 2019. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure the registered manager was available. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before we visited the service, we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used their feedback to inform the planning of this inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with six people who used the service about the care and support they received and three relatives. We also spoke with the registered manager, a director, a client service co-ordinator, a care co-ordinator and an administrative staff. We contacted 28 staff and received nine responses.

We looked at the care records of five people who used the service and the personnel files of four members of staff. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service

Updated 19 February 2019

Cumbria Quality Care is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care to people who live in their own homes in Penrith and Kendal areas. There were 43 people using the service at the time of this inspection.

This comprehensive inspection was carried out between 16 and 24 January 2019.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People said they felt safe with the staff who supported them. Staff understood how to report any concerns. People and staff felt there were enough staff employed to assist people with their agreed care packages. The provider carried out safe recruitment checks to make sure only suitable staff were employed.

Some people were assisted with their medicines where assessments and agreements were in place. Staff had the right equipment and training to assist people in a hygienic way. People’s needs were assessed before they began using the service to make sure the right care could be provided for them. Staff said they had good training and support.

Staff assisted people with their nutritional well-being if this was part of their care package agreement. The service worked with other health agencies where relevant.

People’s consent and permission was sought and care was only provided with their agreement. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and relatives were positive about the caring, friendly and helpful nature of staff. People said they enjoyed good relationships with the staff team and received a good standard of care. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. They helped people to maintain as much independence as possible.

People received care that was based on their individual preferences and needs. They were fully involved in agreeing the plan of their support. People said they received a consistent service from a regular staff team who knew them well. They said the service was responsive to any request for changes and these were easily accommodated.

People, relatives and staff said the management team were open and approachable. People had opportunities to give their views about the service. The provider gave information to people about the service they should expect and the complaints procedure.

The provider had systems in place for auditing the quality of the service and for making improvements. The provider was in the process of reviewing all policies and procedures to make sure they reflected the service provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.