Background to this inspection
Updated
12 October 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 23, 24 and 25 July 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or visiting people. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
On 23 July 2018, we visited three people who received support at their homes to ask their opinions of the service and to check their care files. We also spoke with three relatives of people receiving support during visits.
On 24 July 2018, we visited the service’s office to see the registered manager, the director, some staff and to review records, policies and procedures.
On 23, 24 and 25 July 2018 we telephoned people who received support to ask their opinions of the service.
The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors and an assistant adult social care inspector.
Prior to the inspection, we gathered information from several sources. We reviewed the information we held about the service, which included correspondence we had received and notifications submitted to us by the service. A notification should be sent to CQC every time a significant incident has taken place. For example, where a person who uses the service experiences a serious injury. We reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR), which the registered provider completed before the inspection. The PIR is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We contacted Sheffield local authority and Healthwatch (Sheffield) to obtain their views of the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. All the comments and feedback received were reviewed and used to assist and inform our inspection.
We spoke with the registered manager, the director, two care coordinators and three care workers in person during the visit to the office.
We telephoned 21 people who received support. Ten people responded and we spoke with them, or their relatives, to obtain their views of Serenta Homecare.
We reviewed a range of records, which included care records for six people, the staff training and support matrix, three staff employment records and other records relating to the management of the domiciliary care agency.
Updated
12 October 2018
Serenta Home Care is a domiciliary care agency. It is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. Not everyone using Serenta Home Care receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. The services office is based in the Millhouses area of Sheffield. Support is provided to older people living in the south of Sheffield. The agency provides support with personal care, domestic tasks and companionship. The office is open from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday. An on call system is in operation.
At the time of this inspection, 34 people were receiving support with the regulated activity personal care. Twenty-four care workers were employed.
There was a manager at the service who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Our last inspection took place on 25 and 26 January 2016. The service was rated Good.
This inspection took place on 23, 24 and 25 July 2018. We gave the registered provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection to make sure the registered manager, some staff and some people receiving support would be available to meet and speak with us.
We received very positive views from people about the support provided to them or their family member. Without exception, people told us they felt safe and their care workers were respectful. People told us they received a consistent and reliable service that met their needs. Staff demonstrated they were highly motivated and offered care and support that was compassionate and kind.
We found systems were in place to administer people’s medicines safely.
We found there were systems in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff we spoke with were able to explain the procedures to follow should an allegation of abuse be made. Assessments identified risks to people, and these were regularly reviewed to ensure people's safety.
Robust recruitment procedures were in operation and promoted people’s safety.
Staff were provided with relevant training, supervision and appraisal for development and support.
There were appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The registered provider’s policies and systems supported this practice. People had consented to receiving care and support from Serenta homecare.
People were supported to maintain a healthy diet, which considered their culture, needs and preferences, so their health was promoted and choices could be respected. Access to healthcare professionals was supported.
People said they could speak with their care workers or the registered manager if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.
The registered provider and registered manager were excellent role models. We found an extremely effective system was in place to monitor service delivery. The staff, registered provider and the director displayed a strong commitment to providing high quality care to people. They had innovative ways of promoting a positive culture and involving people in the service. The registered provider demonstrated partnership working to improve and develop the service.