Background to this inspection
Updated
13 May 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of one inspector, two assistant inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who use this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the nominated individual are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit. This was because we wanted to ensure the registered manager would be available to speak with us.
Inspection activity started on 8 April 2021 and ended on 14 April 2021. We visited the office location on 8 April 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. 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. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with 11 people and their relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 13 members of staff including the provider, registered manager, welfare manager, HR manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four peoples care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment, induction and supervision and six staff training records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We sought written feedback from two health and social care professionals who regularly liaised with the service. We considered their feedback when making our judgements in this report.
Updated
13 May 2021
About the service
A1 Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of this inspection 73 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care from the service. 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We have made a recommendation regarding, staff rotas and travel times between visits.
People and relatives spoke positively about the service they received. People received personalised care which was responsive to their individual needs. Staff had a good understanding of the care and support people needed and provided this with care, kindness and compassion.
Staff had completed safeguarding training and understood their role in identifying and reporting any concerns of potential abuse or poor practice. Risks to people were assessed and regularly reviewed. Staff understood the actions needed to minimise the risk of avoidable harm including the prevention of avoidable infection.
Staff supported people to take medicines safely. Staff were trained in medicines management and knew how to ensure that people received their medicines on time and as they had been prescribed.
There were sufficient numbers of experienced staff to meet people’s needs. Safe recruitment practices were followed and appropriate checks completed to ensure that only suitable staff were employed.
Staff received induction and on-going training and support that enabled them to carry out their roles effectively.
People had access to healthcare services and were involved in decisions about their care and wellbeing. Working partnerships with other agencies and health professionals had been formed which enabled effective outcomes for people.
People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well. People told us they felt listened to and their views were respected when planning and agreeing what care and support they needed. People told us they received their care from a small, consistent team of staff who knew them and their care needs well.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People and relatives knew how to raise any concerns and felt they would be addressed appropriately.
There was a system of ongoing monitoring through audits and spot checks to review the quality of the service provided.
People, staff and relatives felt the service had made improvements over previous months and expressed confidence in the management team. People felt the service was well led and specifically praised the service given by the welfare manager.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published November 2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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 we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.