Care South Home Care Services Somerset

Updated 18 May 2018

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 is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 21, 22, 23 and 26 March 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be at the office and able to assist us to arrange home visits.

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and two expert by experience’s, who made telephone calls to people and their relatives. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included notifications the home had sent us. A notification is the means by which providers tell us important information that affects the running of the service and the care people receive. We contacted the local authority to obtain their views about the service.

We had requested and received a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed this information during the inspection.

Inspection site visit activity started on 21 March 2018 and ended on 26 March 2018. It included talking with staff, looking at records, speaking with the management and visiting people in their homes. We visited the office location on 21 and 23 March 2018 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. During the inspection phone calls were made to people who use the service and their relatives on 21 and 22 March 2018. Further phone calls to staff were made on 26 March 2018.

During the inspection we visited four people who used the service and spoke with two relatives. We spoke with 29 people and seven relatives on the telephone. We also spoke with eleven members of staff, including the registered manager. We received feedback from one professional who had knowledge of the service.

We looked at a range of records during the inspection, these included ten people’s care records. We looked at information relating to the management of the service including quality assurance audits, meeting minutes. We also looked at five staff files, the recruitment process, the staffing systems, complaints, and staff training and supervision records.

Updated 18 May 2018

Care South Home Care Service is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

At the time of the inspection 197 people were receiving the regulated activity ‘personal care’.

This inspection was announced and took place on 21, 22, 23 and 26 March 2018.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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Why the service is rated Good.

The service continued to provide safe care and support for people. There were adequate numbers of staff to provide the care and support people needed.

People were protected from abuse because the provider had systems in place to ensure checks of new staff, and their suitability to work with vulnerable adults were carried out. Staff had also received training in protecting vulnerable people from abuse.

People said they felt safe when being cared for; we observed people were happy and relaxed with staff during our home visits. All incidents and accidents were monitored, and learning was shared with staff to put into practice.

The service continued to provide effective care and support. People were supported by staff who had a clear knowledge and understanding of their personal needs, likes and dislikes. Most people said they had a regular team of staff who they knew and had built relationships with. We observed staff took time to talk with people during our home visits.

People were supported by staff who were highly motivated in their role and went over and above their job role to maintain people’s comfort, well-being and happiness. People told us the staff were kind, caring and they were treated with dignity and respect. We observed caring interactions during home visits.

The service had improved their rating in responsive to good. There were improved systems in place to inform people of any changes to their staffing. Records showed the service responded to concerns and complaints and learnt from the issues raised.

People's care needs were recorded and reviewed regularly with the person receiving the care or a relevant representative. Staff had information and guidance in care plans to enable them to deliver consistent care the way people preferred.

The service continued to be well led. There were effective systems in place to manage the service.

The registered manager worked with a management team with clear areas of responsibility for planning, staffing and client services.

There were systems in place to monitor the care provided and people's views and opinions were sought through care reviews and an annual survey.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.