Background to this inspection
Updated
3 August 2016
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.’
This inspection took place on 23 May 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provided a domiciliary care service, and the manager is often out supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that someone would be available. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service, this included notifications about incidents, accidents and safeguarding information. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We also looked at safeguarding concerns reported to us.
On the day of the inspection we spoke with the Responsible Individual and the Registered manager at the agency’s office.
Following the inspection we spoke with one person who used the agency, three relatives and received information from two staff. We also spoke to health care professionals.
We looked at seven people’s care records and examined information relating to the management of the service such as staff support and training records and quality monitoring audits.
Updated
3 August 2016
The inspection took place on 23 May 2016 and was announced. The service was registered in July 2015 and began delivering care in November 2015 this was their first inspection.
Diamond Unique Care Ltd is a small domiciliary care agency providing care and support to people in their own homes. The organisation offers support to people living in Harlow and the surrounding area. At the time of our inspection there were seven people using the service.
The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 associate Regulations about how the service is run.
People were safe and staff knew what actions to take to protect them from abuse. The provider had processes in place to identify and manage risk.
People received care from a consistent staff team who were well supported and supervised.
Care staff understood the need to obtain consent when providing care.
The provider had systems in place to support people to take their prescribed medicines safely.
People were supported when necessary with meals and to make choices about the food and drink they received. Staff supported people to maintain good health and access health care professionals when needed.
Assessments had been carried out and personalised care plans were in place which reflected individual needs and preferences. The provider had an effective complaints procedure and people had confidence that concerns would be investigated and addressed.
The service benefitted from a clear management structure and visible leadership. As the service expanded the manager was aware that it would be necessary to have a range of systems in place to monitor the quality of the service being delivered and drive improvement.