Background to this inspection
Updated
24 February 2023
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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience who made phone calls to people and families for feedback about the service. 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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because 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 January 2023 and ended on 3 February 2023. We visited the location’s office on 24 January 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service, including information from a monitoring phone call we carried out with the service in 2022. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and 3care staff. We reviewed a range of records, including three people’s care records and 3 staff files. We looked at a sample of the service’s quality assurance systems including medication and care plan audits.
Following the visit to the service, we continued to seek further clarification from the registered manager. We had contact with 6 people using the service, 4 relatives and 1 professional for feedback about the service.
Updated
24 February 2023
About the service
C09 Senior Homehelp Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 22 people using the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Feedback from people, their families and relatives was all positive. A person told us, “The registered manager only employs the best. They are all marvellous, they have rescued me so many times. They will do anything for me.”
The registered manager had focused on the needs of the people they supported when setting up the service. However, a number of the systems, such as recruitment records, needed to be improved so they could demonstrate the service was safely managed. We made a recommendation the registered manager seek out best practice guidance in developing effective management systems to support them as they developed the service.
The registered manager was passionate about their service and their local community. We received positive feedback about their commitment to provide high quality care. They engaged well with people and their families. Concerns were dealt with promptly.
There were enough staff to support people in line with their preferences and needs. Staff knew how to support people from the risk of abuse. The registered manager and staff worked well with people and families to manage risk. Staff supported people to minimise the risk of infection. People received their medicines as prescribed. We made a recommendation about improving medication care plans.
The registered manager enabled staff to develop their skills and provide good quality care. Staff supported people to eat and drink in line with their preferences. They were skilled at supporting people with dementia to remain independent. Staff worked well with people, families and professionals to promote people’s health and wellbeing.
Staff were compassionate and committed to the people they supported. Care was unrushed and focused on supporting people to remain independent.
Care was tailored around people’s needs and preferences and adapted as their circumstances changed. Staff supported people to remain stimulated and engaged in their local community. Care plans were being improved to reflect people were receiving a person-centred service.
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 December 2021and 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.