Care 1st Homecare - Gloucestershire

Updated 30 October 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.

We gave the service prior notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started and ended on 21 September 2018 when we visited the office location. We spoke with the registered manager, the care co-ordinator and three members of care staff. We reviewed care records, staff records and policies and procedures relating to the management of the service. Following the inspection, we spoke with four people using the service and nine relatives on the telephone. We also received comments from a social care professional.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed information we have about the service including notifications. A notification is a report about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Updated 30 October 2018

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 adults. At the time of our inspection it was providing a service to thirty-six adults.

Not everyone using Care 1st Homecare - Gloucestershire receives 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.

The inspection took place on the 21 September 2018 and was announced. This was the first inspection of the service. We rated the service ‘Good’ overall.

Care 1st Homecare - Gloucestershire had 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.

We heard positive comments about the service such as “Very, very good”, “Spot-on” and “Can’t fault them in anyway”.

People were protected from harm and abuse through the knowledge of staff and management. Risks to people's safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action was taken to keep people safe. Staff were recruited using robust procedures.

People were treated with respect and kindness and their privacy and dignity was upheld.

People were supported by staff who had training and support to maintain their skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received personalised care from staff who knew their needs and preferences. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. There were arrangements in place to respond to concerns or complaints.

Quality assurance systems were in operation with the aim of improving the service in response to people's needs. The management were approachable to people using the service, their representatives and staff.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.