Background to this inspection
Updated
24 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 inspector, an assistant 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 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
We gave a short period notice of the inspection in order to ensure there would be someone available in the office to support the inspection, and to gather details of people we could phone to gather feedback about the service.
Inspection activity started on 6 May 2021 and ended on 13 May 2021. We visited the office location on 6 May 2021.
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 all information available to us, including information from the local authority, any concerns or complaints and notifications from the service. Notifications are information about specific events the provider is required to tell us about by law.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager, senior supervisor and care coordinator. We reviewed care records for four people using the service and other records relating to the running of the service such as complaints, Medicine Administration Records (MAR) and staffing records.
After the inspection
We spoke with ten people using the service and four relatives. We spoke with eight members of staff. We arranged a meeting with the registered manager to discuss the feedback from people and relatives.
Updated
24 July 2021
About the service
Eleanor Nursing and Social Care is a domiciliary care agency providing 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, 45 people were receiving support with personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People did raise some concerns about staffing levels, feeling at times staff were rushed. The registered manager acknowledged that there had been difficulties with staffing levels earlier in the year, compounded by the pressures of the pandemic. However, they told us the service was currently in a much stronger position.
It was evident that many people thought highly of the care staff and were able to build positive relationships with them. Comments included, “Staff are polite, interested in your wellbeing with a very pleasant attitude” and “What is good about this service is that the carers are really nice, really kind and have a sweetness about them.”
There were systems and measures in place to ensure the safety of people supported. This included completing risk assessments for people and updating these as necessary when people’s needs changed. Staff received training in safeguarding and felt confident about raising concerns. Staff had training in how to support people with their medicines and medicine administration was monitored so that any errors could be addressed.
Staff reported feeling well supported and satisfied with the training they received. They had opportunity to shadow other staff when they were new to the service. Their development and training needs were monitored through supervision and appraisal.
The service was well led. The registered manager was supported in their role by senior staff and the business development director. Communication throughout the team of staff was good, with staff reporting they were given information about any change in people’s needs. People using the service told us they were able to get hold of the office staff when they needed to and any concerns or issues they had were addressed.
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 14 May 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.