Background to this inspection
Updated
12 December 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 two-day period. Visits took place on the 10 and 22 October 2018. The visits on both 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.
During the inspection we looked at a selection of records and documents relating to the service. We looked at records that included assessments of risk and care planning documents, medicines records, complaints management as well as policies and procedures. We looked at the recruitment records of four staff members and staffrotas. In addition, we spoke with three people who used the services and four family members of people who used the service. We spoke with and spent time with one staff member, the registered manager and the nominated individual of the service.
Prior to the inspection we assessed all of the information we held about the service. This information 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 have in place to continue to make improvements to the service.
We checked with Healthwatch who told us that they had no information about the service at the time of this inspection.
Updated
12 December 2018
This inspection took place inspection on 10 and 22 October 2018. The inspection was announced.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own in their own homes within the community. It provides a service to people living within the St Helens, Halton, Liverpool and Knowsley areas.
Not everyone using the service receives 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. At the time of this inspection seven people using the service were in receipt of personal care.
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 of the service that was registered in August 2017.
People and their family members felt that the service they received was safe.
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.
Recruitment practices helped ensure that only people suitable to work with vulnerable people were
employed by the service.
Systems were in place to support people with their medicines safely when required. Detailed information was available when a person was prescribed medicines on an as and when basis.
Procedures and practices were in place to support people to have choice in their lives. We saw that policies and guidance were available to staff in relation to the Mental Capacity Act.
People were supported with their eating and drinking needs when needed and staff were aware of people's personal likes and dislikes in relation to what they ate.
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.
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 their care and support was delivered by the same members of staff most of the time, which enabled them to get to know them well.
People were regularly asked if they were receiving the care and support they required.
People told us their privacy and dignity was protected and promoted.
Policies and procedures were in place to offer guidance and direction in best practice to staff delivering the service.
Systems and audits were in place to regularly check that people were receiving the care and support they required.
A comprehensive electronic system was in place to plan and monitor staff working patterns and record information about people who used the service.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.