Background to this inspection
Updated
1 February 2017
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 on 19 December 2016 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because it provides domiciliary care and staff are sometimes out visiting people using the service. Therefore we needed to be sure that senior staff would be available to assist with the inspection.
The inspection visit was carried out by one inspector and a second inspector completed telephone interviews with people, staff and community professionals.
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service which included notifications they had sent us. Notifications are sent to the Care Quality Commission to inform us of important events relating to the service which they must tell us about by law.
We also considered the responses given to the questionnaires completed by four people who use the service, two relatives or friends of people who use the service and five staff.
We reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection we spoke with four people who use the service and three community professionals who worked with the service. We also spoke with seven staff including the registered manager, a director, an administrator and four care staff. We looked at records relating to the management of the service including five people’s care plans and associated documentation and four staff files including recruitment records. We also reviewed a selection of policies and procedures, the complaints log, staff training records and quality assurance audits.
Updated
1 February 2017
This inspection took place on 19 December 2016 and was announced. Lifecarers (Reading, Caversham and Henley) is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to people in their own home to promote their independence and well-being. At the time of the inspection they provided personal care to 19 people.
There was 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 a previous inspection in February 2015 we found the service needed to make improvements in the following areas, Safe, Effective and Well-led. During this inspection we noted improvements had been made in those areas.
The provider’s recruitment processes had been improved. These were now robust, which meant this helped to ensure people were cared for by staff who were suitable to work with vulnerable adults.
Improvements had also been made to risk management plans. Risks to people’s well-being were assessed and management plans contained sufficient detail to enable staff to deliver care safely.
People told us they felt safe using the service. Staff were trained and knowledgeable in how to safeguard people and recognise signs of abuse. There were sufficient staff to provide a safe and consistent service to people.
People received their medicines when they required them. Staff were trained in the safe management of medicines and their skills were regularly checked.
Staff had received further training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities to protect people’s right to make decisions and worked within the principles of the MCA. People’s consent was sought before care was provided.
People benefitted from being cared for by a team of well trained staff who were supported and valued by the provider and registered manager.
People were supported to eat and drink in accordance with their care plan. Their well-being was monitored and when necessary advice sought from healthcare professionals.
Staff were kind, caring and considerate. They recognised people’s diversity and met their cultural and religious needs. People received dignified and respectful care from staff who understood how to provide privacy and dignity for people.
People’s needs were assessed and a care plan specific to their desired outcomes was designed. Care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when changes occurred. People had the opportunity to discuss and change their care plan if they wished.
People were encouraged to give feedback on the service. Feedback was taken seriously and used to drive improvements. Complaints were responded to, investigated and addressed.
Improvements had been made to the monitoring and auditing of the service. Regular audits were now conducted in areas such as medicines administration records and recruitment files. A variety of methods were used to monitor the quality of the service and seek suggestions for improvement.
The culture of the service was positive and open. People and staff were complimentary about the registered manager and the leadership of the service.