Archived: Carewatch (East London)

Updated 12 May 2015

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 Carewatch (East London) took place on 20 January 2015 and was announced. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.The expert by experience helped us make telephone calls to get feedback from people and their relatives.

Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, including the Provider Information Return (PIR) which the provider completed before the inspection. The 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 also reviewed information we received since the last inspection including notifications of incidents that the provider had sent us.

During our inspection we went to the provider’s office and spoke to the manager, the operations manager and four staff. We reviewed the care records of three people who used the service, records for three staff and records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection visit we spoke to 14 people who used the service and relatives to seek feedback about the service.

Updated 12 May 2015

We undertook an announced inspection of Carewatch (East London) domiciliary care agency on 20 January 2015.

We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. The Carewatch (East London) agency provides personal care services to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection approximately 120 people were receiving a personal care service.

At our last inspection in November 2013 the service was meeting the regulations inspected.

People told us they felt safe and that staff treated them well. Policies and procedures were in place in relation to safeguarding people. Staff understood how to protect the people they supported from abuse. Sufficient staff were employed to meet people’s needs.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had received the training required to support people with their care and support needs.

Senior staff carried out regular unannounced checks on the staff team and their working practices were observed. There was an out of hours on call system in operation, which ensured that management support and advice was available for staff.

Staff knew the people they were supporting. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and they were involved in making decisions about their care. People told us they liked the staff and staff knew how to look after them.

People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people, if they wished, to liaise with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet their needs.

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 and associated regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was approachable. Staff, people who used the service and relatives felt able to speak with the manager and provided feedback on the service. The senior staff undertook spot checks to review the quality of the service provided.