HICA Homecare - Grimsby

Updated 5 December 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by an inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

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

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 13 November 2023 and ended on 15 November 2023. We visited the location’s office/service on 13 November 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the 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 (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 10 people who used the service and 7 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We attempted contact with 16 staff members and spoke with 8 members of staff including the operations and compliance manager, registered manager, deputy manager, senior care staff and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 6 people's care records and numerous medication administration records. We inspected 5 staff files in relation to their recruitment. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including audits and policies and procedures, were also reviewed.

Updated 5 December 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

At the time of the inspection, the location did not provide care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

About the service

HICA Homecare - Grimsby is a not-for-profit care agency owned and managed by Humberside Independent Care Association (HICA). The agency provides home care services within Grimsby and surrounding areas to people who may be living with dementia, a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder, a physical disability, sensory impairment or mental health needs. People using the service lived in their own homes in the community.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. 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. At the time of the inspection 291 people were receiving personal care.

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

Right Culture: Staff were safely recruited and provided consistent and continuity in care. Staff received an induction and training which included areas of care and support, infection prevention and control, and person-specific training.

Systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were in place. Staff reported having a positive relationship with the provider and felt communication was effective. Quality monitoring systems allowed for the effective monitoring of the service by the provider, however action plans were not always revisited. We have made a recommendation about this.

Right Support: Medicines were being managed safely, individual and environmental risk assessments had been completed. Systems were in place to ensure allegations of abuse and incidents and accidents were managed. People told us they felt safe when receiving support from staff. Risks to people had been assessed. People accessed specialist health and social care support where appropriate.

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.

Right Care: People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. Staff provided personalised care and support to promote people's wellbeing, enhance their quality of life and to achieve positive outcomes. People's communication needs were identified, and care plans detailed their preferred ways to communicate and make decisions.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 9 January 2018). The rating remains good.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and when the service was last inspected.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.