The inspection took place on 15 September 2015 and was announced. This was the first inspection of the agency at new premises at Richmond Chambers in Boroughbridge. The registered provider of the service is Saynorcare Limited.
We undertook an inspection on 26 June 2013 at the agency’s previous address in Skelton on Ure near Ripon. At that inspection the provider was meeting all the regulations that were assessed. You can read the report from the inspection relating to this location by selecting the ‘old profile’ link for Elderflower Homecare on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Elderflower Homecare provides domestic services, social support and personal care to people who live in their own homes in the Ripon and Harrogate area. When we visited on 15 September 2015 the agency was providing personal care services to 30 people. The agency undertakes a minimum one hour visit for personal care unless other services are also being provided.
There was a registered manager. 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.
People spoke positively about the care they or their relatives received. People said staff always arrived on time, completed all of the tasks that they should do during each visit and stayed for the agreed length of time.
Emphasis was given throughout the service to maintaining and promoting people’s independence. We identified areas of good practice around falls management and assessment and staff were proactive in accessing independent professional advice as needed. Although the agency provided care in people’s own homes, advice and training was also provided to staff and people living in residential care settings to set up personalised rehabilitation programmes.
Effective management systems were in place to safeguard people’s safety and wellbeing. There were also procedures in place and arrangements were in place to review these. Whilst one personnel record needed updating, we identified that safe recruitment practices were being followed in practice. Appropriate medicines management systems were in place.
Staff worked closely with people who used the service and with families to pick up on emerging issues and ensure that people’s care needs and preferences were met. People told us they were involved in making decisions about the care and support that they or their relatives received. Risk assessments were used to identify and minimise risks without any undue restrictions being placed on people’s rights and freedoms. Staff received training to support their work effectively. Appropriate arrangements were in place to ensure that staff were kept updated and had access to national guidance on best practice and new legislation.
People spoke highly about their individual care workers and said they were always treated with dignity and respect. Care plans detailed people’s individual care and support needs and people told us that the service was flexible and responsive to their changing requirements. Staff liaised with other health and social care professionals to respond to people’s changing care needs and people were supported to eat and drink according to their plan of care.
Staff showed a good awareness of how they should respect people’s choices and ensure their privacy and dignity was maintained. People knew who to speak with if they had any concerns and could provide their feedback through face to face contact, at management spot checks and by means of satisfaction surveys.