Barley Close

Updated 5 April 2019

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: One inspector and one assistant inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type: The service is a 'domiciliary care agency' providing care to adults with a range of disabilities or conditions living in their own homes.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection: We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection because it is small and the manager is often out of the office providing care. We needed to be sure they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 12 February 2019 and ended on 18 February 2019. We visited the office location on 12 and 18 February 2019 to see the manager and to review care records and policies and procedures. We visited one person in their own home on 12 February 2019 and spoke with others on the telephone shortly after the inspection.

What we did: Before the inspection we gathered information from notifications the provider sent us. Notifications are used to inform us about certain changes, events or incidents that occur. We could not use information in the Provider Information Return (PIR) because the provider had not yet finished filling it in. We asked them to complete it as part of this inspection. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We asked the local authority contracting and safeguarding teams for feedback about the service.

We spoke with the provider, a person who used the service and four relatives. We spoke with a contracts officer from the local authority. The provider did not yet employ any staff. We looked at care files belonging to two people and a new file for the first staff member in the process of being recruited. We viewed records and documentation relating to the running and monitoring of the service.

Updated 5 April 2019

About the service: Barley Close is a domiciliary care agency. It provided privately funded personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. This was a very personalised service of care from one individual to a small number of older people in the local community of Hibaldstow in North Lincolnshire.

Not everyone using Barley Close received 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. The service supported eight people when we inspected.

People’s experience of using this service: The provider / registered manager (provider throughout the report) was also the only carer in the service. They had yet to embed their quality assurance system to monitor service delivery. We made a recommendation about finding support networks to assist them in this.

People experienced an effective service through care delivered in line with guidance and the law, a trained provider, support systems (in waiting) for new staff, good nutrition and healthcare support and collaborative, adaptive working arrangements. People were protected from abuse and risk using effective and robust systems.

People received caring and compassionate support that respected their privacy, dignity, independence and the choices they made. Support met people’s needs and was anti-discriminatory.

People experienced responsive and person-centred care. They exercised choice and control of their lives and satisfaction with any concerns or complaints and were involved in the running of the service. They had the prospects of sensitive support with end of life care needs.

People received quality care from a dedicated and caring provider. People experienced a growing and improving service. They benefitted from a provider that worked well in partnership with other agencies, organisations and the local community.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: This was the first rating inspection of the service, which was registered in March 2018.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence 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.