Background to this inspection
Updated
17 September 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 carried out by one inspector.
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 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 a short period notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
The provider did not complete a Provider Information Return, because they had received a request to do this the morning of our inspection visit. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We visited the service’s office on the first day on 4 September 2019. We spoke with the managing director, the registered manager, the administrator and two care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
On the second day on 5 September 2019, we spoke on the telephone with three people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with three social care professionals.
After the inspection
We reviewed the training records which were provided to us on 4 September 2019.
Updated
17 September 2019
About the service
PnS Domiciliary Services is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care support to people living in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. 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. At the time of our inspection on 4 and 5 September 2019, there were 22 older people and younger adults using the personal care service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The risks to people in their daily lives were assessed and mitigated, which reduced the risk of avoidable harm. Systems were in place which were designed to reduce the risks of abuse. There were sufficient numbers of care workers to ensure people’s care visits were completed. Recruitment of care workers was done safely. Some people who used the service required assistance with their medicines, this was done safely. The service had systems to learn from incidents to reduce the risks of reoccurrence.
People received care and support from care workers who were trained to meet their needs. 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. Where people required support with their health and diet, these needs were assessed, planned for and met.
People received a caring service. People’s rights to dignity, privacy and independence were promoted and respected. People’s choices were listened to and acted upon.
People’s individual needs were assessed, planned for and met. People’s decisions about how they wanted to receive their care were listened to and used in the planning for their care, including their end of life decisions. There was a complaints procedure in place.
The service had systems to assess and monitor the service people received. This helped the provider and the registered manager identify shortfalls and address them quickly. People’s views about the service provided were valued and used to drive improvement.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 5 December 2018). There was a breach of Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, relating to the safe management of medicines. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for PnS Domiciliary Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.