Civicare Central Limited

Updated 9 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.

We visited the service on 16 January 2019 and made further phone calls to people who used the service on 18 and 21 January 2019. The inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours' notice to make sure that staff would be available at the office. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and one Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is someone who has experience of the type of care provided.

Before our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. We also examined notifications received by the CQC. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescales. We contacted professionals in local authority commissioning teams, safeguarding teams and Healthwatch. Healthwatch are a consumer group who champion the rights of people using healthcare services.

Before the inspection, we had received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the service as part of our inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with eight members of staff: the registered manager, director, business development lead, three care co-ordinators and two care staff. We looked at two people’s care plans, risk assessments, medicines records, staff training and recruitment documentation and quality assurance systems.

After the inspection we spoke with seven people who used the service and two relatives. We contacted a further two external health and social care professionals.

Updated 9 February 2019

Civicare Central is regulated to provide personal care and support, including nursing care, to people living in their own homes. There were 80 people receiving services for which CQC registration was required at the time we inspected, including older people and children.

Not everyone using Civicare receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

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 we spoke with told us that they felt safe when staff entered their home and that staff knew how to support them. Staff were able to tell us of the needs of the people they provided care for and their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff, who had a good understanding of protecting people from the risk of abuse. Medicines were administered by staff that had received training to do so.

The provider had procedures in place to check that people received their medicines as prescribed to effectively and safely meet their health needs.

People told us they received reliable care from a regular team of staff who understood their likes, dislikes and preferences for care and support and that they were kept informed of any changes.

Staff supported people to make their own choices and decision’s about their care and support. We found people were actively involved in how their care was planned and their needs met. Staff supported people to access health care services such as their GP.

People spoke positively about both the support they received and the staff that provided it. People told us they were treated with dignity and respect and staff demonstrated their understanding of people’s right to refuse care.

The provider encouraged people and staff to share their opinions about the quality of the service through reviews and an annual satisfaction surveys.

Staff confirmed that they received support and could get information or advice if required.

People were positive about the care and support they received and the service as a whole.

The provider ensured regular checks were completed to monitor the quality of care that people received and look at where improvements could be made.

Morale was good and there was a strong team ethic, with office and care staff working well together. The culture was a supportive and forward-looking one, with clear plans in place for the future.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.