Background to this inspection
Updated
2 November 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 1, 16 and 21 September 2016 and the visit was announced. This was our first inspection of Interserve Halifax.
The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors.
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included speaking with the local authority contracts and safeguarding teams. We asked the provider to complete 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. This document was completed and returned to us within the specified timescales.
We looked at how people were supported throughout the day with their daily routines and activities. We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and how the service was managed. We looked at four care records for people that used the service and four staff files. We spoke with two people who used the service, two relatives, a manager who was in the process of registering and one support worker. We looked at quality monitoring arrangements and other staff support documents including supervision records, team meeting minutes and individual training records.
Updated
2 November 2016
On 1 September 2016 we visited the offices of Interserve Halifax and made telephone calls to people who used the service and staff on 16 and 21 September 2016. At the time of our inspection, there were 23 people using the service. This was an announced inspection which meant we gave the service 24 hours’ notice to make sure someone was in the office.
Interserve Halifax is a Domiciliary Care Agency which provides nursing and personal care to people in their own homes. They specialise in providing care and support to people who have complex care or palliative care needs. Their service covers Calderdale and parts of Huddersfield and Bradford. The agency’s office is located just outside Halifax town centre.
The service had a manager who showed us they were in the process of registering at the time of our 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.
There was enough skilled and experienced staff to meet people’s needs. Staff underwent pre-employment checks before working with people to assess their suitability.
People were supported to take appropriate risks. Risks were assessed and individual plans put in place to protect people from harm.
Medicines were administered and recorded in a safe way. Management reviewed medicines records to maintain a high standard.
Staff had been trained in all areas to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff received supervision and appraisal aimed at improving the care and support they provided. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities in supporting people to make their own choices and decisions.
People were supported and encouraged to eat a healthy diet and drink sufficient fluids. People were supported to maintain their independence.
People and their relatives told us staff treated people with kindness and with dignity and respect.
People, and where appropriate, family members, were involved in planning the care and support they received. People were supported to develop and maintain relationships with family and friends.
Care and support provided for people was individualised. The service was planned around people’s needs. Staff supported people to participate in a range of activities. The service made changes in response to people’s views and opinions and learned from feedback.
The manager and provider did not always submit notifications of incidents to CQC. However, the manager and senior staff provided good leadership and management. The values, vision and culture of the service were clearly communicated.
The quality of service people received was continually monitored and any areas needing improvement were identified and addressed.
We found a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.