Birchwood Care Services

Updated 19 May 2023

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an 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 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 not a registered manager in post. An application had been received by CQC for a manager to register. An interim manager had been running the service on a day-to-day basis.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 1 person and 2 people’s relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We spoke with 3 staff, the care co-ordinator, the interim manager and the manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care plans and associated risk assessments and multiple medicines records. We reviewed 2 staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including checks and audits, were also reviewed.

Updated 19 May 2023

About the service

Birchwood Care Services is a domiciliary agency providing the regulated activity of personal care. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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. At the time of the inspection 8 people were 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

People were supported by a small team of regular staff. Agency staff were used to cover sickness. The number of missed or late calls had reduced, however there had still been several calls cancelled by the provider due to staff sickness. This was an area for improvement. People told us they were contacted if their care calls were running late or needed to be cancelled.

Risks to people’s health and safety had been assessed. Risk assessments, to make sure staff had the guidance to provide the right support, had been implemented. People received their medicines safely and staff competencies were checked to make sure they followed best practice.

Checks and audits, to monitor the quality and safety of the service, had been implemented. Some of these had been introduced in March and needed to be embedded into day-to day practice.

People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely. Staff met with a manager for one-to-one supervision to discuss their performance and any developmental needs.

People were involved in the planning of their care. People told us staff were supportive and encouraging. People felt the communication had improved.

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 and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 17 January 2023). There were breaches of regulation.

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in Special Measures since 17 January 2023. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to check whether the Warning Notice we previously served in relation to Regulations 12, 17 and 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 had been met.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.