TPS Healthcare

Updated 2 June 2020

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector.

Service and service type

Team Personnel Solutions Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

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 including Healthwatch (Barnsley). Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person about their experience of the care provided and two relatives. We spoke with the nominated individual, administrator and two staff members. We looked at three people's care records and one medicine record. We did not speak with the registered manager as they were not working during the time of our inspection. We looked at staff files for recruitment, supervisions and training records. We also looked at quality monitoring records relating to the management of the service such as audits and quality assurance reports.

Updated 2 June 2020

About the service

Team Personnel Solutions Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to three people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using the service

Quality assurance systems were not robust. There were no checks being carried out to monitor the service. The service was not always well led as records were not always completed. The nominated individual was open and honest. Surveys and meetings were held with people and their relatives to ask for their views and their suggestions were used to improve the service.

Staff had completed some training. However, staff had not received specific training to guide them on how to support people with their health care needs. For example, catheter care. Supervisions and appraisals had not been carried in line with the providers policy.

Medicines were not managed safely. Medication records were not accurate and did not provide clear guidance for administering medicines safely. Most risk assessments were carried out to mitigate potential risks. However, we found one risk assessment had not been completed for a person with identified risks. Incidents and accidents were managed effectively when reported. However, we found medication errors which had not been investigated.

Staff did not always understand their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives as staff asked people for their consent and supported them in the least restrictive way. We recommended the provider review their records in relation to best interest decisions and mental capacity assessments.

People said staff were kind and caring. People were well cared for by staff who treated them with respect and dignity. People and their relatives said they felt safe and knew the staff coming into their homes. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and recruitment processes were sufficient.

Care plans were created but not all of them contained person centred information. People and their relatives told us staff knew their needs and how to support them. Staff supported people in a way they wanted. Most staff had been trained in end of life care. However, end of life care plans had not been completed. A complaints system was in place and complaints were managed effectively.

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 good (published 12 September 2017). At this inspection the provider was in breach of three regulations. This service has now been rated requires improvement.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.