Background to this inspection
Updated
9 October 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 checked 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.
This inspection site visit activity started and finished on the 13 September 2018. One inspector carried out the inspection. We visited the office to see the manager and staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We gave the provider 2 days’ notice of the inspection as we needed to make sure the manager would be available. Before the inspection we looked at all the information we had about the service. This information included statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We used the information the provider sent us in their 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 used this information to help inform our inspection planning.
During the inspection we looked at three people’s care records, three staff recruitment, supervision and training records and records relating to the management of the service such as audits and policies and procedures. We spoke with two people using the service and three relatives to understand their views about receiving care. We also spoke with the registered manager and two staff about how the service was being run and what it was like to work there.
Updated
9 October 2018
Emerald Care Limited - is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. Not everyone using Emerald Care Limited receives the regulated activity; personal care. 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 the service was providing personal care to thirteen people.
This inspection took place on 13 September 2018. We gave the provider two days’ notice of the inspection as we needed to make sure the manager would be available. At our last inspection on 26 and 29 January 2016 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good. The service demonstrated they continued to meet the regulations and fundamental standards.
The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The service had safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work. There was enough staff available to meet people’s needs. Risks to people were assessed to ensure their needs were safely met. Peoples medicines were managed appropriately and people were receiving their medicines as prescribed by health care professionals. Staff were aware of the steps they needed to take to reduce the risk of the spread of infections. There were system’s in place for monitoring, investigating and learning from incidents and accidents.
People’s care and support needs were assessed before they started using the service. Staff had received training relevant to people’s needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet. People had access to a GP and other health care professionals when they needed them.
Staff treated people in a caring, respectful and dignified manner. People and their relatives, where appropriate, had been consulted about their care and support needs. People were provided with information about the service. People knew about the provider’s complaints procedure and said they would tell staff or the registered manager if they were unhappy or wanted to make a complaint. Staff had received training on equality and diversity. Staff said they would support people according to their needs. People received appropriate end of life care and support when required.
The provider had effective systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. They carried out spot checks to make sure people were being supported in line with their care plans. Notifications were submitted to the CQC as required. The provider took people, their relatives and staff views into account through satisfaction surveys. The registered manager had analysed the surveys feedback and developed action plans for improving the service.
The registered manager and staff worked closely with health care professionals to make sure people received good quality care. The registered manager also attended meetings with a local authority commissioning team and regularly attended a registered managers forum. They used some of what they had learned at these meetings to make improvements at the service. Staff said they enjoyed working at the service and they received good support from the registered manager. There was an out of hours on call system in operation that ensured management support and advice was always available for staff when they needed it.