Background to this inspection
Updated
8 August 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 flat.
The service was registered to one person who is the provider and therefore the service does not require a registered manager. The provider was the registered person. 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 registered provider had overall responsibility for the service.
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 would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 24 July 2019 and ended on 29 July 2019. We visited the office location on 24 July 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided on the telephone. We spoke with two members of care staff and the provider.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records. We looked at three 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.
Updated
8 August 2019
Active Care and Training is a is a domiciliary care service that provides personal care to people
living in their own homes in Ipswich and Felixstowe. At the time of the inspection they were supporting 14 people.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported safely and staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from abuse or harm. Staff were recruited safely with appropriate pre-employment checks carried out. Risk assessments were in place which ensured that staff knew what to do to mitigate the risks identified. People received their medicines safely and there were effective practices in place to protect people from infection.
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. Staff received the support they required and had access to training.
Staff were kind and caring and committed to providing good quality care. People told us how well looked after they were, and staff were respectful. People's dignity and privacy was maintained, and people felt in control of their lives.
People had individualised care plans which ensured they received person-centred care. Plans considered people's preferences, likes and dislikes.. People knew who to speak to raise concerns and were confident they would be listened to. One person described staff as, “The best carers I have every had.”
The provider was open and honest and strived to look at ways to improve the service. Staff felt well supported and people were confident in the service. Staff liaised with other health professionals to support people to maintain good health.
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 on 21 September 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on CQC’s inspection schedule.
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.