Background to this inspection
Updated
14 March 2017
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.
This inspection took place on 13, 14 and 19 December 2016. The inspection team was comprised of one inspector. In addition, an expert by experience in the care of older people made telephone calls to people using the service on 15 and 16 December 2016. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
We looked at all of the key information we held about the service which included notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that providers must tell us about. We asked the service to complete a provider information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give us information about the service, what they do well, and what improvements they are planning to make. This was returned to us by the service.
Surveys were sent to service users, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals prior to our inspection visit. We received responses from seventeen people who used the service and two from relatives. We did not receive any responses from staff or health and social care professionals.
We spoke with nine people using the service and three relatives. We looked at four people’s care and support plans. We reviewed other records relating to the support people received and how the service was managed. This included some of the provider’s checks of the quality and safety of people’s care and support, staff training and staff recruitment records. We spoke with fourteen staff, including the registered manager and domiciliary service organisers. We also spoke with four health and social care professionals by telephone following our visit.
Updated
14 March 2017
Amber Valley (Derbyshire County Council Home Care) provides personal care for adults in their own homes. This includes people living with dementia and people requiring short term support on discharge from hospital. There were 170 people using the service for personal care at the time of our inspection.
This inspection took place on 13, 14 and 19 December 2016. The service is run from an office in Ripley and provides care to people in central Derbyshire. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure the registered manager was available. In addition we also carried out telephone calls to four people using the service and three relatives on 15 and 16 December 2016 and visited five people in their own homes.
There was a registered manager at the service. 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 was following the guidance in people’s risk assessments and care plans and the risk of unsafe care was reduced. People’s records were up to date and indicated that care was being provided as detailed in people’s assessments. The records had been updated to reflect changes in people’s care needs. Medicines were managed safely.
People were safeguarded from abuse because the provider had relevant guidance in place and staff were knowledgeable about the reporting procedure. The provider's arrangements for staff recruitment and deployment helped to make sure there were sufficient staff who were fit to work at the service to provide people’s care.
Staff understood their roles and responsibilities for people's care and safety needs and for reporting any related concerns. The provider's arrangements for staff training and their operational procedures supported this.
The principles and requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) were being met. When required, best interest decisions and capacity assessments had been completed. People were supported by staff who knew them well. Staff were aware of promoting people’s safety, whilst providing information to support people to make day-to-day decisions.
People received appropriate support to manage their meals and nutrition when required. This was done in a way that met with their needs and choices. People’s health needs were met. Referrals to external health professionals were made in a timely manner.
People and their relatives told us the care staff were caring and kind and that their privacy and dignity was maintained when personal care was provided. People and their relatives were involved in the planning of their care and support.
Complaints were well managed. The leadership of the service was praised by external professionals and relatives and communication systems were effective. Systems to monitor the quality of the service Identified issues for improvement. These were resolved in a timely manner and the provider had obtained feedback about the quality of the service from people, their relatives and staff.