Home Instead Senior Care

Updated 9 December 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 4 October 2022 and ended on 6 October 2022. We visited the location’s office on 4 October 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We received information we received about the service since they registered with us in April 2020. 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 (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection we met with the providers, the registered manager, office staff and eight care staff. We spoke with four people and two relatives in their homes, and with 11 people and three relatives by telephone in order to hear about their experiences of the care provided.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people's care records, medication administration records and the daily notes recorded by care staff. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment, supervision, and training. We also viewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and training records.

Eight health and social care professionals gave us their views on the quality of the care provided. This included occupational therapists, community nurses and social workers.

Updated 9 December 2022

About the service

Home Instead Senior Care is a care agency providing the regulated activity of personal care to people in their own homes. 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. At the time of our inspection there were 43 people receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us staff regularly exceeded their expectations and people described numerous examples where staff went above and beyond to help them achieve their goals and make them feel special. People were extremely complimentary about the care they received and told us they were supported by staff who were kind, caring, empathetic and compassionate. Staff spoke with compassion and genuine warmth when referring to the people they cared for.

People told us there were enough staff to support them, and they appreciated the continuity of care from the same care staff who were consistent and always attended. People said they looked forward to the staff visiting and enjoyed their company.

People's care was exceptionally person-centred and focused on providing high quality outcomes for people. The providers, registered manager and staff were extremely passionate and committed to making a positive difference to people's lives. The provider and staff understood the importance of forming positive relationships to reduce the risk of social isolation. Staff had established strong links with the local community which had benefitted the people who used the service.

Care plans were comprehensive with clear instructions for staff on how the person wanted to be cared for. There was a clear focus on providing person-centred care and staff understood the needs of people, their individual wishes and preferences. Daily visit records were extremely detailed, and focused on the person, rather than focusing on tasks. When people's needs changed, this was quickly identified and prompt, appropriate action was taken to ensure people's wellbeing was promoted.

People received care that kept them safe from harm. Risks were assessed and reviewed. When needed, care records were updated to reflect the change in risk. People's medicines were managed safely. The provider had ensured people were protected from the risk of the spread of infection. Accidents and incidents were investigated, and actions taken to prevent the risk of recurrence.

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. People and relatives told us they felt the service was flexible and responsive to their needs and they felt involved with decisions about their care.

The service was exceptionally well managed. People, relatives, staff and professionals all commented on the positive approach of the providers and registered manager. Effective systems were in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service and the providers and registered manager were constantly looking for areas of the service where further improvements could be made for people's benefit.

Staff were encouraged to develop their careers and there was a thorough training programme in place to aid continual development and improvement of staff knowledge. The providers and registered manager recognised when staff had gone the extra mile and had given outstanding care to people. Staff told us they felt extremely well supported and their achievements were celebrated. This encouraged continual high-quality performance from staff and improved outcomes for people.

People, relatives, and staff were encouraged to share their views and could speak to the registered manager or provider when they needed to. The provider used a range of quality monitoring tools such as surveys, telephone courtesy calls, care service reviews and customer feedback to engage and listen to people, relatives, and staffs’ views of the service. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

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 April 2020, and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was the services’ first inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.