Able Care Huddersfield Ltd

Updated 24 January 2020

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

This inspection was announced.

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 registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the nominated individual and the registered manager in person, and three care staff by telephone. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed a range of records. These included three people’s care records, people’s medicine records, two staff files in relation to recruitment, training and supervision. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 24 January 2020

About the service

Able Care Huddersfield Ltd is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 16 people at the time of the inspection.

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 felt safe, and individual risks to people were assessed so staff understood how to support people safely. Medicines were managed safely. Robust recruitment procedures were in place and there were consistent staff to meet people’s needs. Staff were confident in their understanding of safeguarding and emergency procedures.

People’s needs and preferences were individually assessed. There was clear management emphasis upon empowering staff and ensuring they were supported as individuals. This meant staff were fully able to support the people they worked with. Effective systems, such as training and supervision, equipped staff to provide personalised care for each individual. People’s consent to care and support was obtained in line with legal requirements.

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 were very dedicated, enthusiastic, caring and motivated to support people. People were respected as individuals. Care plans contained clear information and guidance for staff, with people’s preferences for their care and support regarded throughout. Staff knew what mattered to each person. People knew how to complain, although no complaints had been received about the service.

There was clear leadership and management of the service. The management team was committed to ensuring the newly established service met people’s individual needs in a bespoke way. People, relatives and staff spoke very highly about the way the service was run and were proud to be associated with Able Care.

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

This service was registered with us on 26 November 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on our methodology.