HFHC Healthcare Limited

Updated 30 July 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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by 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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The manager in post had applied to register with CQC and was awaiting their 'Fit Person' interview. The provider was legally responsible for how the service was run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 3 July and ended on 4 July 2019. We visited the office location on 3 July 2019. On 4 July 2019 the Expert by Experience made phone calls to people to gain their views about the service.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at all the information we had received since the service was registered, including notifications (information about important events which the service is required to send us by law).

The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). We used the information the provider sent us in the PIR. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We also asked the local authority for their views. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two relatives and one friend of a person using the service. We also spoke with the manager, quality assurance manager, resource manager, and with the business development and recruitment managers and three staff.

We reviewed a range of records, this included one person’s care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment, supervision and appraisal. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service which included policies and procedures, spot checks and audits and some quality assurance templates that had not yet been used.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the manager to validate evidence found. We were sent further quality assurance checks and templates for monitoring the service that were to be used in the future.

Updated 30 July 2019

About the service

HFHC Midlands Limited is a domiciliary care service that provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes in Lincoln and the surrounding areas.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Where risks to people’s wellbeing had been found detailed person-centred care, records were in place to inform the staff about the care people needed to receive. People’s care was reviewed and monitored as their needs changed. Staff undertook training about how to safeguard people from harm and abuse, which helped to protect people.

Staff received appropriate induction, training and support and applied learning effectively in line with best practice. People were supported to maintain their dietary needs.

People had their capacity assessed and were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were caring and kind. Relatives we spoke with confirmed this. Staff provided support if people became anxious or upset. Information was provided to people in a format that met their needs in line with the Accessible Information Standards.

People were supported and encouraged to maintain their independence, where possible. Staff worked with health care professionals to maintain people’s wellbeing.

The provider had a complaints policy in place which was provided to people using the service. No complaints had been received. Minor concerns raised were investigated and this information was used to improve the service. End of life care was provided for people using the service with the support of relevant health care professionals and local hospices.

There was a manager in place who had applied to become the registered manager of this service. Continuous learning and innovation were implemented by the management team. Quality checks and audits were undertaken. Action plans were created when shortfalls were found to make sure corrective action was taken. Some quality monitoring checks had not been implemented yet due to the low numbers of people using the service. We will look at quality assurance in more detail at the next inspection. Data security was maintained.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us in July 2018 and this is the first inspection.

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.