About the service Elgar Care is located in Hereford, Herefordshire. It is a domiciliary care agency which provides support to people in their own homes. It supports people with mental health difficulties, older people and people living with dementia. On the day of our inspection, there were 55 people using the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were cared for by staff who understood how to protect them from abuse and harm and keep them safe. Knowledgeable, skilled staff were available to meet people's needs. People’s risks were assessed and plans in place to guide staff. People were supported with their medicines by staff using safe practice. Staff understood and followed infection control and prevention procedures. Incidents and accidents were investigated, and actions were taken to prevent recurrence.
People's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. Care was delivered by staff who were well trained and knowledgeable about people's needs and wishes. 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 were supported by staff who were caring and kind towards them, who people considered friends. People felt involved and supported in decision making and encouraged to have a say about any potential improvements. People's privacy was respected, and their dignity maintained.
People received personalised care from staff who knew their needs and wishes. Suggestions and ideas were acted upon from people, families and staff. Staff and the management team were responsive to people's individual needs and flexed the service where possible to support people. People's concerns were listened to and action was taken to improve the service as a result. Where improvements were identified, there were plans in place to ensure these were made.
The management team were open, approachable and focussed on providing person centred care. They completed checks to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. The management team and staff engaged well with other organisations and had developed positive relationships. The registered manager strived to continuously improve their own skills and knowledge.
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)
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.