Xtracare Ltd

Updated 26 January 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 registered persons continued to meet 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 used information the registered persons sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require registered persons to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also examined other information we held about the service. This included notifications of incidents that the registered persons had sent us since our last inspection. These are events that happened in the service that the registered persons are required to tell us about. We also invited feedback from the commissioning bodies who contributed to purchasing some of the care provided by the service. We did this so that they could tell us their views about how well the service was meeting people's needs.

We visited the service on 15 January 2019. The inspection consisted of one inspector and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure the manager, staff and people we needed to speak to were available.

We spoke with eight people who used the service and with nine relatives. We also spoke with the registered manager, the nominated individual, the assistant manager, a care coordinator and three care staff. We looked at the care records of three people living at the service. We looked at three staff files as well as records relating to how the service was run. These included the those relating to the management of medicines, health and safety, training records and systems and processes used to monitor and evaluate the service.

Updated 26 January 2019

This comprehensive inspection was carried out on 15 January 2019 and was announced.

Xtracare is a domiciliary care agency which provides care and support for people in their own homes. Care is provided for a range of people including older people and people with dementia. The service operates in areas of west Kent. Not everyone using Xtracare receives a 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 the time of the inspection there were 63 people using the service.

The service had 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.

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.

Processes were in place to keep people safe from different types of abuse. When risks to people or the environment were identified, steps were taken to minimise them. There were enough staff to meet people's needs. Staff were recruited safely. When required, people were supported with their medicines in a safe way. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection. Lessons were learned when things went wrong.

People’s needs were assessed and care and support was delivered in line with current legislation and best practice guidelines. Staff had the skills and experience to meet people’s needs. People were supported to lead healthier lives and had access to healthcare services. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. People were supported to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care and support. People’s families and advocates were also involved in decision making. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People’s dignity and privacy was respected. People’s personal information was kept confidential.

People received person-centred care that was responsive to their needs. People knew how to complain and complaints were responded to in line with the service’s policies and procedures. Staff knew how to support people who might be coming to the end of their life.

Staff said the service was open, transparent and that they felt supported by their managers. There were audits in place which checked the quality of the service being provided. Staff were involved in developing the service. The registered manager had developed links with the local community.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.