Quality Home Care

Updated 13 March 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, assistant manager and a care worker. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and training. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to validate evidence found. We spoke with two people who used the service, two relatives and two care workers who gave their views of the service.

Updated 13 March 2020

About the service

Quality Home Care is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to 27 younger adults and older people in their own houses and flats in the community. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were protected from harm and abuse by dedicated caring staff. Risk assessments were in place to mitigate risks and these were reviewed regularly. There was enough staff to support people and meet their needs. Recruitment processes had been improved but further improvements were required to ensure safe recruitment decisions were consistently recorded and all checks fully completed. We have made a recommendation about this.

Staff had an induction into the service and received training, supervision and appraisals to enable them to deliver effective care. Staff had not always completed Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) training, the registered manager had acted to address this.

The provider completed assessments before providing a service to identify people’s needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives told us they were very happy with the care their loved ones received. Staff knew people well, including their past history and family and friends important to them, which meant they could enjoy meaningful conversations.

People had personalised care plans that promoted independence. Staff identified and met people's information and communication needs. People and relatives knew how to make a complaint and felt confident they would be listened to.

Systems had been developed to review the quality of care provision. The registered manager understood the importance of gaining people's views about the quality of the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 8 January 2019) and there were two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.