Background to this inspection
Updated
31 August 2022
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team
One inspector carried out this inspection.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses or flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection site visit took place on 15 July 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person and two relatives about the service. We also spoke with two members of care staff and the registered manager. We reviewed records, including the care records of six people using the service, and the recruitment files and training records for five staff members. We also looked at records related to the management of the service such as quality audits, accident and incident records, and policies and procedures.
After the Inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
31 August 2022
About the service
YourLife (Sidcup) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to older people in their own homes within an assisted living development. 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. At the time of the inspection the service supported eight people with their personal care.
People's experience of using this service
Risks were not always assessed, identified or updated and risk management plans were not always in place to manage risks safely. The provider had failed to report potential safeguarding concerns to both safeguarding authorities and CQC.
People said they felt safe. Medicines were safely managed. People were protected against the risk of infection. Sufficient numbers of suitably skilled staff were deployed to meet people's needs. Accidents and incidents were recorded, and learning was disseminated to staff. Appropriate recruitment checks were carried out before staff joined the service. Staff were supported through regular training and supervisions. Assessments were carried out prior to people joining the service. Staff had the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to support people appropriately. 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 were supported to eat a well-balanced diet if required. People had access to healthcare professionals when required to maintain good health.
Staff maintained people’s privacy and dignity and their independence was promoted. People and their relatives where appropriate, had been consulted about their care and support needs. People’s end of life care wishes were recorded in their care files. There was an effective complaints system to manage people concerns in a timely manner. The provider worked in partnership with other healthcare agencies.
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires Improvement (published 10 December 2019) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Recommendations
We have made a recommendation that the provider seek, familiarise and implement national guidance in relation to reporting safeguarding concerns.
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 any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.