Background to this inspection
Updated
21 August 2018
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 over a three day period. Visits took place on the 29 June and the 3 and 12 July 2018. The visits on all days were announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that people would be available to speak to us.
This inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has experience of people using services.
During the inspection we looked at a selection of records and documents that related to the running of the service. We looked at records that included assessments of risk and care planning documents for five people, medicines records, complaints management as well as policies and procedures. We looked at the recruitment records for five recently recruited staff member and staff rotas. In addition, we spoke with seven people who used the services and nine family members of people who used the service.
We spoke with and spent time with nine staff members, the registered manager and a director of the service.
Prior to the inspection we assessed all of the information we held about the service. This included information sent to us by the registered provider. We contacted the local authority commissioning team who told us they had no concerns about the service. Before this inspection we received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). This document gave the registered provider the opportunity to tell us about how the service delivers safe care and support to people and what plans they had in place to continue to make improvements to the service.
Updated
21 August 2018
This inspection took place inspection on 29 June 2018 and the 3 and 12 July 2018. The inspection was announced.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to people living within the St Helens area. At the time of this inspection 80 people were using the service. Seven of these people were in receipt of support from a specific staff team of staff who provided one to one support for long periods through the day and night.
Not everyone using the service received a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.
A registered manager was 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.
This was the first inspection at this service.
People were supported to have choice in their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems at the service supported this practice. We saw that policies and guidance were available to staff in relation to the Mental Capacity Act.
People told us that the staff were caring, supportive and respectful. Staff received regular support and training to keep up to date with best practice.
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People felt safe using the service. Policies and procedures were in place in relation to safeguarding people from abuse. People’s care planning documents considered risks to people and plans were in place to minimise these risks.
Safe recruitment practices helped ensure that only people suitable to work with vulnerable people were employed by the service.
People had access to and were aware of the services complaints procedure. A system was in place to manage and monitor complaints about the service.
People told us that staff asked them if they were ok and happy with the service. In addition, reviews took place to help ensure that people received the care and support they required.
Information was made accessible to people by documents being produced in different formats which included the use of different font sizes and pictures.
People were supported with their eating and drinking needs when needed. Specific guidance was available to staff in relation to people’s dietary needs.
Where required, people were supported by staff to monitor their specific health conditions.
People told us their privacy and dignity was protected and promoted. Confidential information was stored appropriately to maintain people’s privacy.
Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed by the registered manager to evidence any trends or patterns that may occur.
Systems and audits were in place to regularly check that people were receiving the care and support they required.
Policies and procedures were in place to offer guidance and direction in best practice to staff delivering the service.
Systems were in place to ensure that people received their medicines safely.