Ruby Care

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 checked 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 was a comprehensive inspection

The inspection took place on 25 January 2018. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure we could meet the registered manager and key staff. It also allowed us to arrange to talk to people who received a service.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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 looked at the information in the PIR and also looked at other information we held about the service before the inspection visit. .The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Ruby Care provides care and support to people living in their own homes. Not all support provided by the service was personal care. Other services not regulated by us such as shopping and cleaning formed an important part of people's support packages and contributed to maintaining their well-being and independence. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care to 10 people. We spoke with two people who received a service We also spoke with two relatives, three staff and the care co-ordinator and the registered manager.

We looked at records which related to people’s individual care and the running of the service. Records seen included three care and support plans, quality audits and action plans, three staff recruitment files and records of meetings and staff training.

Updated 23 February 2018

Ruby Care is a care service registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes (domiciliary care). The service specialises in providing a support to adults in the local community who live within a radius of seven miles from the service office. We announced our intention to inspect the domiciliary service so we could be sure the registered manager, care co-ordinator, staff and people receiving a service were available to talk to us.

At the last inspection in December 2015 the service was rated Good. We have not received any concerns about the service since then. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People we spoke to told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them. One person said “ I get very good care indeed. There are no worries with any of them.” A relative said “ they always ring if they are concerned. I put my trust in them.”

People received the particular care required to keep them safe in their own homes. They told us about the arrangements in place to enable staff to enter their homes safely and with regard to their privacy and independence.

The provider had systems and processes in place to keep people safe and minimise the risk of abuse. Potential new staff were thoroughly checked to make sure they were suitable to work with people in their own home. New staff were able to shadow experienced staff and did not complete visits to people alone until they felt confident.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of regular staff to meet their needs. People received reliable support from a team they knew. Staff arrived on time and did not let people down.

People were assessed to establish whether they needed or required assistance with medicines. Staff understood the varying levels of assistance that could be offered to people and the importance of clearly recording any medications they prompted or administered to people.

People received effective support from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People and their relatives felt confident that staff were trained and competent to deliver the range of care and support required.

People were supported to see healthcare professionals according to their individual needs. If they became unwell staff would contact family members or were able to call a doctor. When people needed to attend hospital the service offered flexible support by moving the time of their visits.

People only received care and support with their consent. Staff told us they always checked when entering people’s homes that they wanted care and support that day. One member of staff said “It is not just what is on the care plan. We always check what they want that day.”

People who received a service and their relatives told us staff were always kind and polite. Staff were described as “so kind” and “very pleasant” People valued the companionship they received from their regular carers.

People received a range of services according to their assessed needs and personal preferences. People could choose how much care they required. Some people received two visits weekly to assist with a shower . Other people required several visits a day to enable them to stay safely in their own homes. Staff knew people and if they were unwell or if a family member was away additional visits could be made on a short term basis.

People received care that was responsive to their needs because all staff involved in the service understood the importance of knowing people well and continually checking that the support they were providing continued to be what the person required.

The service was well led by the registered manager and care co-ordinator who put people receiving a service firmly at the centre of the service they provided. They listened to people and took action to ensure the service people received was reliable, flexible and caring.

Not everyone using Ruby Care receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.