We carried out a review of the data available to us about Care 4 U Ltd on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Care 4 U Ltd, you can give feedback on this service.
Care 4 U Ltd is a domiciliary care agency providing care to older people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 17 people were receiving a personal care service.
People’s experience of using this service
People told us people they were happy with the care and support they received because they felt safe and all their needs were met by kind and caring staff.
People praised the managers of the service and agreed that they were approachable, knowledgeable, fair and did their job well. The staff team worked well together and supported the registered manager.
The staff team was committed to providing a high-quality service and keeping people safe. They had undertaken training so that they were skilled and knowledgeable to effectively meet people’s needs. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any concerns.
Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well. Staff managed the risks to people’s health and welfare.
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 given choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Care plans contained information about each person’s individual support needs and preferences in relation to their care and we found evidence of good outcomes for people.
Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the service.
Medicines were managed safely.
People and relatives told us staff were able to meet their needs and were respectful of their individual preferences. People said staff who supported them were kind and caring.
People and relatives confirmed the service did not miss any care calls and that staff were usually on time.
People received care and support from a small group of staff, which provided consistency.
The managers of the service actively sought the views of people and their relatives about the running of the service and they dealt promptly with any concerns that people raised.
The provider had informal systems in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.
More information is in the full report.
Rating at last inspection
At the last inspection we rated this service Good. The report was published on15 December 2016.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor this service.
Care 4 U Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to older people in their homes. On the day of our inspection there were 20 people using this service.
The service had a registered manager who had been in post since the service opened in 2011. 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.
People’s needs were assessed and care plans were developed to identify what care and support people required. People said they were involved in their care planning and were happy to express their views or raise concerns. When people’s needs changed, this was quickly identified and prompt, appropriate action was taken to ensure people’s well-being was protected. People had a copy of their care plan in their home.
People felt safe. Staff understood how to recognise the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and told us they would report any concerns they may have to their manager. Assessments were undertaken to assess any risks to the people using the service. The risk assessments we viewed included information about action to be taken to minimise these risks. However we found that environmental risks, to protect staff were not in place. Soon after the inspection, a proforma to capture environmental risks had been put in place.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The Act requires that as far as possible people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible.
We found that the service was working within the principles of the MCA.
Staff were highly motivated and proud to work for the service; as a result staff turnover was kept to a minimum ensuring that continuity of care was in place for people who used the service.
Staff were very complimentary about the management team and described them as approachable and supportive.
Staff were respectful of people’s privacy and maintained their dignity. Staff told us they gave people privacy whilst they undertook aspects of personal care, asking people how they would like things done and making enquiries as to their well-being to ensure people were comfortable.
Care staff received regular supervision and appraisal from their manager. These processes gave staff an opportunity to discuss their performance and identify any further training they required. Care workers we spoke with placed a high value on their supervision.
We saw that regular visits and phone calls had been made by the office staff to people using the service and their relatives in order to obtain feedback about the staff and the care provided.
People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people to take their medicines when required and attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs.
The service had a complaints policy. People who used the service told us they knew how to make a complaint if needed.
People told us that they understood how to raise concerns with the service. One person said, "I don't have any concerns, but the manager contracts me regularly and I know he would deal with anything that troubles me." They said that someone was always available at the office when they called, and that the staff would listen to them.
There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. We checked that recruitment procedures were being followed appropriately so that unsuitable staff were not employed at the service. People said that staff were, 'reliable', 'helpful' and 'efficient'. One person's comments were typical when they told us, 'my carer does a good job in helping me'. We reviewed the personal files of five members of staff. People who use the service confirmed that regular checks were carried out by the agency to make sure that people received the quality of care they expected. They were happy with the service and they confirmed they felt consulted.
Relatives told us they felt staff understood the needs of the people they supported. People's personal records including their care plans were accurate. Care plans had been reviewed and updated at regular intervals. Records were kept securely and could be located promptly when needed.