Home Support Services

Updated 20 December 2019

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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 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. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about. We sought feedback from the local authority. 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 this information to plan our inspection

During the inspection

We reviewed a range of records, which included the care records for two people. We checked that the care they received matched the information in their records. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service, including quality checks and staff files. We also looked at two staff recruitment files.

We spoke with the nominated individual, training officer, senior care worker and a care worker when we visited the office on 24 October 2019. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. The registered manager was not at work at the time of the inspection site visit. We sought the views of four care workers by telephone on 23 October 2019. We spoke with two people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided, by telephone on 7 November 2019. We emailed one relative for their views.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at medicine’s management and training.

Updated 20 December 2019

About the service

Home Support Services is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to older people and younger

adults in their own homes across Derby and surrounding areas. This included people with physical

disabilities and mental health. 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 this inspection 89 people using the service received personal care.

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

Care records were not always clear regarding how people were being supported. Systems were in place to manage risk. However, where risks were identified individual risk assessments were not always in place. There were processes in place for people to raise complaints and express their views and opinions about the service provided. However, the complaints records did not show if these had been resolved to the person’s satisfaction.

People told us they felt safe with the care and support they received from staff. Staffing levels were determined by people’s needs. However, two staff members felt at the weekend staffing levels were stretched as staff worked alternate weekends.

People were happy with the staff who supported them and felt safe when staff visited. Staff understood their responsibility in protecting people from the risk of harm. Safeguarding referrals were made appropriately.

Recruitment practices ensured relevant checks had been completed before staff commenced employment at the service. Staff told us they had received training and an induction that had helped them to understand and support people.

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.

People and relatives felt staff were respectful and caring. Relatives stated staff communicated well with their family members, which helped develop positive relationships.

The provider had systems to monitor the quality of the service provided to drive improvement.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 11 April 2017).

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.