Background to this inspection
Updated
24 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:
The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors who visited the office and an assistant inspector who made telephone calls to people who used the service and their relatives.
Service and service type:
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the Wakefield area.
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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit. This was because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available.
Inspection site visit activity started on 27 March 2019, when we visited the office location to see the manager and staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. Telephone calls were made to people who used the service and their relatives on 2 April 2019.
What we did:
We reviewed information we had received since the service registered. We used information the provider had sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and the improvements they plan to make. We checked information held by the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams in addition to other partner agencies and intelligence received by the Care Quality Commission.
We spoke with five people who used the service and three family members by telephone. We spoke with two staff face to face, as well as registered manager and the area manager who is also the nominated individual for the service.
We looked at four care records for people who used the service, three staff files including recruitment, training and supervision records and records relating to management of the service.
Updated
24 April 2019
About the service: This service provides personal care to people in their own homes. The service provided personal care to 49 people at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service:
¿ People who used the service did not raise any concerns with us about their safety when staff were supporting them. Safeguarding procedures were not always followed effectively.
¿ Medicines were not always being managed safely.
¿Risk assessments were in place but did not include risks associated with medicine management.
¿ Staff were not complying with the infection control policy.
¿ Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff told us the training they received was good but we identified some issues in relation to induction of new staff. Staff were supported by the registered manager and received formal supervision.
¿ People using the service were complimentary of the care and support they received. Staff demonstrated a caring and respectful approach to people.
¿ We recommend the service reviews policy, practice and staff knowledge in relation to requirements of the Mental Capacity Act.
¿ Staff knew what to do if people needed support from healthcare professionals.
¿Care plans did not always reflect the needs of people identified during their initial assessment. People told us they received the care and support they needed.
¿ We recommend the service reviews policy and practice in relation to managing complaints. Compliments were recorded and celebrated at staff meetings.
¿ There was a registered manager in place. Systems for auditing the safety and quality of care were weak. There was no overview of accidents, incidents and complaints and audits in relation to medicines management were not robust. There was no evidence of auditing by the provider.
Rating at last inspection: This was the first inspection of this service since their registration in March 2018.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.
We identified two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 relating to safe care and treatment and good governance. Details of action we have asked the provider to take can be found at the end of this report.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk