Archived: Sagecare Limited

Updated 13 August 2014

Our inspection team was made up of a lead inspector, a second inspector and an expert by experience who had an understanding of dementia care.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the Regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process called ‘A Fresh Start’.

The lead inspector visited the office of the agency on 08 May 2014 and talked to the operational manager, the manager and carers. We also spent time looking at a range of people’s and staff’s records. The second inspector visited 5 people who used the agency in their own homes, and an expert by experience telephoned 28 people who used the agency to gain their views about the care and support that they had received. Before our inspection we reviewed information that we held about the agency. We examined notifications received by the Care Quality Commission.

Updated 13 August 2014

Sagecare Limited is a large domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to about 460 people living in their own homes in Welwyn Garden City and the surrounding areas. Although there was a manager in post at the time of our inspection, they were not yet registered with the commission.

Staff had been given training about how people should be treated with kindness and how to promote people’s dignity, respect and privacy. People who used the agency told us that staff treated them with dignity and respect and when they had raised any concerns they had been dealt with effectively. One person told us, "They do an amazing amount of work carefully in such a short time." Another person told us, "The carers are my friends and they do all that is requested of them and a bit more".

People had been involved in the planning of their care. Important information about people’s history and preferences, which helped the staff get to know people and how they would like to be cared for, was recorded in their care files. However, the written information provided about how staff should support people and how risks to their welfare should be minimised, varied in the style and the amount of detail according to which member of staff had completed it. This could lead to people receiving inconsistent care and support because of lack of information or guidance. The manager must ensure that staff have all the information they require to meet people’s needs consistently.

Although staff had received training during their induction on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 there were no capacity assessments or best interest decisions in place for people who used the agency. The manager must ensure that where needed, these are completed so that people who cannot make decisions for themselves are protected.

All of the people that we talked with told us that they felt safe and that they would know what to do, and who to contact, if they thought they had been mistreated in any way. There were systems and processes in place to reduce the risk of people suffering any abuse. Staff had the support, skills and competencies they required to meet people’s needs.

Care staff told us that they had attended all of their mandatory training and could request extra training if needed. New staff had been given the appropriate time to get to know the people they would be working with before they were expected to work on their own.

Staff had received training in the administration of medication and were aware of the agency’s policies and procedures.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided, which took into consideration the views of the people who used the agency. Staff felt that they could discuss any concerns with the manager and that there was an open culture within the agency.