Greenleaves Homecare Services Limited

Updated 24 February 2022

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

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 registered manager had recently left the business. The service was being managed by the director. There was a new manager due to start employment but until that time the director had applied to be registered as the manager 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 11/1/22 and ended on 2/2/22.

What we did before 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 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 three people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the director who was also the manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We received feedback from a professional who works with the service.

Updated 24 February 2022

About the service

Greenleaves Homecare Services Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 18 people in their own homes 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 they were safe and well supported by the service. Individual risks were assessed, and staff were aware of these. Reviews of events and accidents were carried out and any actions needed were carried out. Medicines were managed well, and staff knew how to report any concerns about a person’s safety or welfare. People told us staff arrived when they should, stayed for the required time and did not miss calls.

Staff received relevant training for their role and people felt they had the right knowledge and skills. Staff felt supported by the management team. People told us staff respected their preferences and choices. People were asked for give their consent before receiving support and the principles of the Mental Capacity Act were followed.

People and relatives told us staff were kind and caring and had a positive impact on their lives. Staff enjoyed working for the service and told us the culture was to ensure care was person centred. Care plans included information needed to support people safely and in accordance with their wishes and preferences. These were reviewed regularly.

People, relatives and staff were asked for their views about the service and felt listened to. There were robust monitoring processes in place to help ensure a good standard of service. Quality assurance systems identified any areas that needed further development.

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.

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 21/11/2019 and this is the first inspection at their new premises.

The last rating for the service at their previous premises was Good, published on 22/6/19.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the registration date.

This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Greenleaves Homecare Services Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.