The inspection took place on 1 December 2015 and was announced. The provider was given three days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. We also needed to gain permission to meet with some of the people who used the service. This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission in 2014.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
Spiritual Inspiration Ltd is a small domiciliary care agency which provides a range of services for people over the age of 18 in their own homes. Services include personal care, medication and activities that have delegated responsibility from a healthcare professional such as peg feeding and rehabilitation. The company office is based in the centre of Middlewich with ground floor access and parking available nearby. At the time of our inspection there were 26 people using the service and 16 staff members.
Throughout the inspection we consulted people who used the service and where appropriate, their representatives. We also spoke with staff from the service and obtained the views of a number of health and social care professionals who had contact with the service. Feedback was positive and people said they had no concerns about the care they received or the staff who provided it. People told us that staff were caring and treated people with dignity and respect. They told us that the service provided was excellent. They said they had complete trust in the staff and felt safe when they were around.
Staff spoken with were confident about any action to take if they had any safeguarding concerns and were confident the registered manager would follow up any concerns they might have.
Risk assessments clearly identified any risk and gave staff guidance on how to minimise risk the risk. They were designed to keep people and staff safe whilst allowing people to develop and maintain their independence.
People were supported by stable and consistent staff teams who knew people well and had received training specific to their needs. Efforts were made to match staff with people by identifying any shared interest, hobbies and compatibility.
Staff told us they enjoyed their work and were well supported through supervision, appraisals and training. The registered manager spoke highly of the staff team describing them as committed and enthusiastic in their approach to their work.
Staff had high expectations for people and were positive in their attitude to supporting them. They were respectful of the fact that they were working in people’s homes. The service offered flexible support to people in order to meet their needs.
Care plans offered person centred care and ensured the person was fully involved in setting goals and monitoring and reviewing achievements. The care plans clearly guided staff in how to support people well at various times of the day and in different situations. This allowed a consistent approach form staff when they were supporting people in their own homes.
The management team had a clear set of values which were apparent throughout our visit. People who used the service told us that the service was excellent, well organised and effective. Staff told us they felt valued and empowered. They said the management team were supportive and the service was very well managed.