Background to this inspection
Updated
2 July 2021
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 adult social care inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
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 five days’ 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.
Inspection activity started on 10 May 2021 and ended on 21 May 2021. We visited the office location on 17 May 2021.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we requested a number of records to review before we visited the office. These included a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, quality monitoring, staff training matrix. We reviewed these before visiting the office. We also contacted people and their relatives to give them opportunities to share feedback with us. We spoke with five people who used the service and four people’s relatives. We also contacted fourteen staff and received feedback from seven of them.
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it registered. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed further records. This included two people’s care records and a staff file in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.
After the inspection
We spoke with a professional who regularly works with the service.
Updated
2 July 2021
About the service
Taunton Homecare Services is an agency which provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the market town of Taunton. At the time of the inspection the agency was providing care to 26 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 protected from abuse. Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse
People and relatives told us they received safe care.
People received support from a regular staff team and staff were recruited safely. Staff were trained to administer medicines safely. Competency checks had been completed to ensure staff were following safe medicine practices.
Staff had received training in infection control and demonstrated an understanding of what personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used when supporting people. People told us staff wore PPE whilst spending time in their homes.
People's needs were assessed and staff with the right skills helped to meet these. Staff supported people with their eating, drinking and to access healthcare support.
There was an enthusiastic, positive and caring culture amongst staff at the service. Staff had good knowledge about the people they supported and told us they were proud and enjoyed working at the service.
People were cared for by staff with sincerity, kindness and compassion. Staff supported people in a dignified and respectful way. People's independence was promoted and respected.
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.
The provider had a complaints process and the one complaint received had been effectively resolved and appropriate actions taken.
People and their relatives were able to give feedback about their care in a variety of ways. Examples included, through care reviews, periodic telephone calls and surveys.
Staff said they were very proud to work for the service and praised the support they received. One commented, “I feel the way (registered manager) and (provider) have set the company and manage it is top quality, always very focused and will look after the staff.”
The provider had systems and processes in place to retain oversight of people's care and ensure good standards were consistently met.
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 22 August 2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was carried out due to the length of time the provider had been registered with CQC without receiving a formal 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.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Taunton Homecare Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.