Archived: Mears Homecare Limited - Chapel en le Frith

Updated 12 August 2016

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 5 and 6 May 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service, so we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection team consisted of one 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 care service.

We reviewed information we held about the service and this included a review of the previous report for this service and a review of the notifications they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. This included the provider information return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The PIR also provides data about the organisation and service.

We spoke with seventeen people who used the service, seven care staff, the registered manager and regional manager. We looked at the care records and associated documents for seven people who used the service and reviewed the provider’s recruitment processes. We looked at the training information for staff employed by the service, and information on how the service was managed.

Updated 12 August 2016

This announced inspection was carried out on the 5 and 6 May 2016. Mears Homecare (Chapel en le Frith) provides care in people’s own homes in Chapel en le Frith and the surrounding area. The inspection was announced, and we gave the provider 48 hours’ notice to ensure there was a manager available to assist with the inspection process.

There was 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.

The provider ensured safe recruitment procedures were followed, this included Disclosure and Barring checks (DBS) and references. New staff had a period of induction along with a period of shadowing of more experienced staff.

Staff received induction, on-going training and regular supervision to ensure they had the skills to deliver care. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs and preferences for care.

There were sufficient staff available to visit people in their own homes, in a timely manner, and to meet individual needs. People were prompted and supported to take their medicines at the correct time. Records of people’s medicines were kept and audited monthly by a member of the management team to ensure the correct recording was carried out.

People told us they felt safe with the care and support they received. Staff had a good understanding of the risks involved in people’s care.

Consent to care was sought in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff understood what was required of them in relation to decision making. People or their representative were involved in decisions relating to their care and care needs. People’s care plans contained information about how each person wanted to be assisted and supported. Care plans were reviewed and updated to reflect current wishes and needs.

Staff supported people and treated them with dignity and respect. People felt staff were caring and understood their care needs.

The provider sought people’s views about the care service. There was a complaints policy and procedure in place which people knew about. Complaints were looked into with actions and learning taken from them.

Staff felt well supported by the registered manager and the management team, who understood their duties and responsibilities.

There were systems in place for auditing the quality of the service provided. Where issues were identified, we saw the provider made changes to the service to improve the quality of care.