Background to this inspection
Updated
28 April 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post who was also the provider.
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 provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 23 March 2022 and ended on 25 March 2022. We visited the location’s office on 23 March 2022 and spoke with people, their relatives and staff on 24/25 March 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and their relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at policies and procedures and quality assurance records.
Updated
28 April 2022
About the service
Jasper Conrad Group LTD is a domiciliary care agency based in Sittingbourne, Kent. The service provides personal care to people living in their own homes or flats. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service who had care and support needs relating to their age or were living with physical disabilities.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Feedback on the care provided was positive with people and their relatives telling us, “I think the service is brilliant, excellent.” And “I’m so glad we have this service; we have heard some bad things about receiving care at home, but this company is excellent.”
Following our visit to the office we were made aware of some concerns by a person’s relative. We fed this back to the provider and we were assured this would be dealt with and implemented quickly. The provider told us that a review of the care being provided will be completed and will send us evidence of this.
People felt safe with care and support provided by regular staff who had been recruited safely. Staff had completed a comprehensive company induction, mandatory training and shadowing. Staff were monitored and checked by the provider regularly to ensure they were completing all tasks and meeting people’s needs. Risks to people were identified and actions taken to reduce the risk of harm to people.
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’s needs were assessed by the provider before or immediately on the first visit when beginning with the service and these needs were reviewed. Staff followed guidance which had been put in place by external health and social care professionals such as GPs and community nurses to ensure people received effective care.
People and their relatives told us they felt the provider and the care staff were caring when completing support. People were treated with respect; dignity was maintained, and independence was encouraged. Staff told us they like to get to know who they are supporting as a person. Feedback from people and their relatives told us all people supported were treated as individuals and supported in a person-centred way.
Care plans were written from the person’s perspective and were detailed so new staff could easily support people on their first visit. Details included what people like to eat, what they wish to wear and locations of preferred cleaning items and towels to use. All people who were receiving new staff had introductions from the provider to ensure new staff were appropriately matched with people being supported.
Feedback on the service included confirmation the service would be recommended to others and the service on the whole was well run. The provider worked closely with the staff teams and staff told us they can always contact the provider if they need something. Checks and audits of the service were appropriate for the level of support being provided and were completed to ensure people were receiving good care and support. The provider had developed appropriate policies and procedures which provided guidance to staff and people using the service. Staff told us they felt valued and supported by the provider and staff we spoke with were happy working for the service.
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 7 September 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.