Background to this inspection
Updated
10 September 2020
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by three inspectors.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The provider was also the registered manager for the service. This meant they were registered with the Care Quality Commission and 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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to obtain the consent from a selection of people using the service to be to be interviewed over the telephone. We also needed to arrange for a selection of records to be sent to CQC towards the inspection.
The inspection activity started on 13 August 2020 and ended on 20 August 2020. We visited the office location by prior arrangement on the 20 August 2020.
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. 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 seven people who used the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including, care staff, the care co-ordinator and the registered manager / provider.
We reviewed records in relation to safeguarding and complaints, training data and the providers quality assurance records.
Updated
10 September 2020
Gemini Exclusive Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service. It is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes in the community.
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.
At the time of our inspection, 15 people were receiving personal care from the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
This focused inspection was prompted due to a delay in the provider notifying CQC about a safeguarding concern. The provider had raised the concern with the local safeguarding authority but had not raised a safeguarding notification with CQC. Once this was brought to the attention of the provider they promptly sent in the required notification. They said this was due to human error and understood their responsibility to raise safeguarding concerns to the relevant authorities without delay.
Where the provider took on the responsibility to support people to take their medicines, this was provided safely in line with people’s individual needs and preferences. The provider said they would ensure clear procedures were in place for people prescribed rescue pack medicines. ('Rescue packs' are antibiotics and oral steroids for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To ensure people received these medicines timely.
People received safe care and were protected against avoidable harm, neglect and discrimination. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and strategies were put in place to reduce the risks. People were supported by regular, consistent staff who knew them and their needs well.
Systems were in place to control and prevent the spread of infection including the transmission of COVID-19.
The provider ensured that lessons were learned when things went wrong, so that improvements could be made to the service and the care people received.
People’s needs, and choices were assessed before they received a care package. Staff received an induction and ongoing training that enabled them to have the skills and knowledge to provide effective care.
Staff supported people to live healthier lives and access healthcare services.
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 at the service supported this practice.
Staff had built up good relationships with the people they provided care to. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of their care and support. People using the service, relatives and staff were encouraged to provide feedback which was analysed and acted upon. People's privacy and dignity was always maintained.
There was a complaints procedure in place and systems to deal with complaints effectively. The service was able to offer care to people at the end of their lives, although at the time of inspection no people required end of life care and support.
The service was well managed. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and appropriate actions and improvements were made to the service when required. People said the registered manager / provider and senior staff team were approachable and provided good leadership. The service worked in partnership with outside agencies.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 14 June 2019).
Why we inspected
This was a focused inspection based on information we had received since the last comprehensive 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.