Kharis Healthcare Ltd

Updated 1 December 2018

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.

This inspection took place between 27 July 2018 and 7 August 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and we wanted to make sure staff would be available in the office.

Inspection site visit activity started and ended on 27 July 2018, to see the registered manager and to review care records, policies and procedures. We spoke with people using the service on 27 July 2018 before our visit to the agency office and with staff between 27 July and 7 August 2018.

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

As part of the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the service, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers 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 contacted community stakeholders about the service, such as the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams.

We spoke with two people using the service, two members of care staff and the registered manager. We checked three people’s care records and medicine administration records (MARs). We checked records relating to how the service is run and monitored, such as audits, staff recruitment, training and health and safety records.

Updated 1 December 2018

This inspection of Kharis Healthcare Ltd took place between 27 July 2018 and 7 August 2018. Our visit to the office was announced to make sure the registered manager was available.

This is the first inspection of this service. They were first registered with us, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), on 13 April 2016.

Kharis Healthcare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults. At the time of our visit three people were using the service.

Not everyone using Kharis Healthcare Ltd 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.

There was a registered manager at this agency who was supported by three care staff. 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.

Staff knew how to respond to possible harm and how to reduce risks to people. Risks to people were assessed and action taken to reduce these. There were enough staff who had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Medicines were administered safely. Staff used personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of cross infection to people. There were systems in place to make sure lessons were learnt about accidents and incidents.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. People received support with meals, if this was needed. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Staff were caring, kind and treated people with respect. People were listened to and were involved in their care and what they did on a day to day basis. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

There was enough information for staff to contact health care professionals if needed and staff followed the advice professionals gave them. People’s personal and health care needs were met although not all care records were updated with changes to guide staff in how to do this.

A complaints system was in place and there was information available so people knew who to speak with if they had concerns. Staff had guidance to care for people at the end of their lives if this became necessary.

The provider’s monitoring process looked at systems relating to the care of people. People’s views were regularly sought so that action could be taken to improve the agency if needed. The agency was run by a family group, who all knew and cared for people, and updated them with any changes.

Further information is in the detailed findings below