Comfort Call - Oldham

Updated 1 February 2019

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 on 12, 13 and 17 December 2018 and 8 January 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available. We visited the office location to review care records, policies and procedures and visited one supported living facility. The inspection team comprised of one adult social care inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service. The expert by experience had personal experience of older adults, adults with dementia and adult social care services in a variety of settings.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service and provider, including notifications the provider had sent us. Notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also asked the local authority and other commissioners of care and Healthwatch for their views on the service. Healthwatch is an independent organisation which collects people’s views about health and social care services. This information was used to identify key lines of enquiry as part of the inspection.

During this inspection we had telephone discussions with eight people who used the service and four relatives about their views of the service and the quality of the support they received. In addition, we spoke with the registered manager, the regional manager, and 10 care staff.

We looked at seven people's care records, a range of documents relating to how the service was managed including; five staff personnel files, staff training records, duty rotas, policies and procedures and quality assurance audits.

Updated 1 February 2019

The inspection took place on the 12, 13 and 17 December 2018 and 8 January 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available to support the inspection process.

This service is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults and younger adults who may have additional needs including physical and learning disabilities and sensory impairments.

Not everyone using Comfort Call 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 consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 121 people with personal care.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

There was a safe system of recruitment in place which helped protect people who used the service from unsuitable staff. Staff were receiving training and supervision. This meant that staff had guidance and were appropriately supported to effectively fulfil their job.

Staff were aware of how to protect people from harm. Risks to people who used the service and staff were assessed and guidance was in place for staff on how to minimise these risks.

Medicines were managed safely and people who were supported in this area received their medicines as prescribed.

Detailed assessments of people's support needs were carried out before people started to use the service. Care plans and records developed from these were person-centred and included what was important for the person, including their routines and interests.

Care and support provided was reviewed regularly and people, and those important to them, were involved in the reviews.

Suitable arrangements were in place to help ensure people's health and nutritional needs were met.

Staff were aware of infection control procedures and had access to appropriate equipment.

Staff always consulted and sought people’s consent before providing support. The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 were being met.

People told us they usually had regular staff supporting them and staff were nice and caring. Staff knew people well and enjoyed their role in supporting people.

There were robust systems in place to audit and monitor the quality of the service provided. People's views on the service and the company were sought and this information was used to develop action plans and drive improvements.

Accidents, incidents, safeguarding concerns and complaints were investigated fully and action taken to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. This learning was shared throughout the provider’s other locations.

The service had notified CQC of any accidents, serious incidents, and safeguarding allegations as they are required to do.