Care Plus Care (UK) Limited

Updated 23 February 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 of Care Plus Care (UK) Limited took place on 19 December 2017 with an announced visit to the agency offices. We gave 24 hours’ notice, as we had to make sure there would be someone at the agency offices to see us. Then on 12 January 2018 we made telephone calls to people that used the service. One adult social care inspector carried out the inspection. Information had been gathered before the inspection from notifications that had been sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Notifications are when registered providers send us information about certain changes, events or incidents that occur. We also received feedback from local authorities that contracted services with Care Plus Care (UK) Limited and reviewed information from people who had contacted CQC to make their views known. We received a ‘provider information return’ (PIR) from the registered provider. A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We spoke with five people that used the service, two relatives and the registered manager. We spoke with two staff that worked for the agency. We looked at care files belonging to four people that used the service and at recruitment files and training records for four staff. We viewed records and documentation relating to the running of the service, including the quality assurance and monitoring, medication management and premises safety systems. We also looked at equipment maintenance records and records held in respect of complaints and compliments.

Updated 23 February 2018

This inspection of Care Plus Care (UK) Limited took place on 19 December 2017 and 12 January 2018. It was an announced comprehensive rated inspection. At the last inspection in November 2015 the service met all of the regulations under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. At that inspection the service was rated ‘Good’.

At this inspection we found the service continued to be rated as ‘Good’. The rating is based on an aggregation of the ratings awarded for all five key questions.

Care Plus Care (UK) Limited is a domiciliary care agency that is registered to provide ‘personal care’ to people who live in their own homes within the local authority of North Lincolnshire. It provides a service to people in Barton-on-Humber and the surrounding villages. There were 56 people receiving the service when we inspected.

The provider was required to have a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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. On the day of the inspection there was a manager that was registered and had been in post for the last three and a half years.

People were protected from the risk of harm and staff were trained in and knowledgeable about safeguarding people from abuse. Risk was safely managed. Recruitment of staff followed safe practices to ensure staff were ‘suitable’ to care for and support vulnerable people. Staffing numbers were sufficient to meet people’s needs. The management of medicines was safe and systems in place demonstrated there was a safe audit trail for handling all drugs. Staff followed good hygiene for safe control of infections. These measures protected people from harm.

Systems in place acknowledged and recorded when things went wrong and lessons were learnt to ensure problems or mistakes were not repeated. Staff encouraged people to make choices and decisions wherever possible in order to exercise control over their lives. People were cared for and supported by qualified and competent staff who were themselves regularly supervised and received annual appraisals of their personal performance. Staff respected the diversity of people and met their individual needs. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met to support their health and wellbeing.

People’s mental capacity was appropriately assessed and their rights were protected. 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 supported this practice. Staff had knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities in respect of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and they understood the importance of people being supported to make decisions for themselves. The registered manager followed the ‘best interests’ route where people lacked capacity to make their own decisions. Consent for support to take place was respected so that staff always sought people’s cooperation and agreement before completing any support tasks.

People were cared for with compassion by kind staff who knew about people’s needs and preferences. People were involved in their care and had their right to express views respected. The management team set good examples to the staff team with regard to attitude and approach, which meant staff had good role models to follow. Wellbeing, privacy, dignity and independence were respected. This ensured people they felt satisfied and were enabled to make choices regarding their lives.

Person-centred care plans laid the foundations for good care. They reflected people’s needs well and were regularly reviewed. People were encouraged to maintain family connections and support networks and their communication needs were assessed and met. An effective complaint procedure in place ensured people’s complaints were investigated without bias. The service sensitively managed people’s needs with regard to end of life preferences, wishes and care.

The provider met the regulation on quality assurance and systems used were effective. Audits, satisfaction surveys, meetings, and spot checks on staff ensured there was effective monitoring of service delivery. Culture was person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering and ensured good outcomes for people. The registered manager understood their responsibilities and practiced a management style that was open, inclusive and approachable. The registered manager strove for continuous learning and good practice at every opportunity. The service fostered good partnerships with other agencies and organisations.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.