Carrington Home Care

Updated 5 June 2021

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. 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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector

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 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

We gave the service 24 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.

Inspection activity started on 6 May 2021 and ended on 17 May 2021. We visited the office location on 6 May 2021.

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 visited the registered office and spoke with the registered manager/provider, office manager and care manager. We reviewed three care plans, three recruitment records and training and supervisions records. We also reviewed a range of documents relating to the running of the service. This included polices and protocols in relation to infection control and COVID-19.

We spoke via phone to three people using the service one relative and to two care staff.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with one professional who knew the service.

Updated 5 June 2021

About the service

Carrington Homecare is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. At present the service is supporting 36 people who live in and around the Barnstaple area.

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.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relative said they were happy with the care and support they received from this service. One person said, “I have used them for a long time, and they are reliable and very good.”

Since the last inspection the provider had introduced electronic care planning and recording of all care delivery. This had been a positive improvement. The system allowed the service to better track whether care and support was being delivered in line with people’s agreed and assessed needs. This included whether they received their medicines on time.

Improvements had been made in respect of recruitment processes. This ensured only staff who were suitable to work with people who may be vulnerable were employed.

Improvements had been made to the quality systems and auditing processes. This ensured the provider was reviewing and monitoring the quality of care provided as well as the records and policies.

There were enough staff with the right skills and support to meet people’s needs. People said their care workers arrived on time and provided care in a way they wished.

Staff were given supplies of PPE (personal protective equipment) and there were spot checks completed to ensure staff were using this appropriately.

Staff had received training in infection control, use of PPE and COVID-19. There was also a range of training being planned to cover areas of health and safety and to update staff where training may need to be refreshed.

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 requires improvement (published 31 March 2020).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 4 February 2020. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve on regulation 19 – fit and proper persona employed.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Carrington Home Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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