Falcon-Care

Updated 6 March 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 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 30 and 31 January 2017 and was unannounced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection site visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

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 used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also received feedback from health care professionals that we used to help inform our inspection planning. We also looked at all the information we had about the service. This information included statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events that the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection, we used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. We spoke with two people who used the service and one relative. We also spoke with five care staff and the registered manager.

We looked at a sample of documents and written records including the care records for five people who used the service, five staff personnel/recruitment files, staff rotas, staff training records, complaints and compliments, quality assurance records and policies and procedures.

Updated 6 March 2018

This inspection took place on the 30 and 31 January 2018 and was announced. This was the first rated inspection for the service.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults. At the time of the inspection nine people were using the service.

The service was managed by a registered manager who had been in post since 2 May 2017 and registered with CQC in September 2017. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People using the service told us they felt safe. The registered manager monitored staffing levels to ensure people’s needs were met and that people were supported by enough skilled staff. Safeguarding adults’ procedures were in place and staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse. Potential risks to people's safety and welfare had been assessed and preventive measures had been put in place where required.

Appropriate recruitment procedures were followed to ensure prospective staff were suitable to work in the service. A Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) had been completed for each staff member before they commenced employment to help the service make safer recruitment decisions.

Whilst the service were not currently supporting anyone with their medicines, the staff had received appropriate training and policies and procedures were in place. Staff knew their responsibilities and told us that when supporting people with medicines they have their competency checked on a regular basis.

There were infection control policies and procedures in place and staff were aware of their responsibilities. They talked to us about using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and aprons. PPE was available to collect from the office.

Staff had the knowledge and skills required to meet people's individual needs effectively. They completed an induction programme when they started work and the majority were up to date with the provider's mandatory training. A number of people still had to undertake mandatory training but we were shown this had been arranged.

People were supported to make decisions about their care and staff sought people’s consent before they provided support. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; however not all staff were fully aware of their responsibilities around the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Staff members we spoke with were able to tell us how they ensured people’s healthcare needs were met. Care files we looked at showed contact details for all healthcare professionals involved in a persons’ care and support needs.

All the people we spoke with and their relatives told us that staff were kind and caring. We received very positive feedback about the staff. When speaking with staff members during our inspection they spoke about people they were supporting in a kind, respectful and caring manner.

We looked at the care plans for people who used the service. We found that whilst a lot of information was contained within care plans, such as hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes, these were task focused rather than focused on the needs and/or wishes of the person. We were assured that new care plans were being introduced in the near future.

We checked if the provider was following the Accessible Information Standard. The Standard was introduced on 31 July 2016. The registered manager was not aware of this standard, although assured us they would undertake further learning to enhance their knowledge in this area.

We looked at how technology was used within the service to support people to receive timely care and support. Staff members were able to access all the policies and procedures in place in the service on their mobile phones; they would also receive an alert if a policy was updated. There were computers, Wi-Fi and other pieces of equipment in the office to assist with the day to day running of the service.

There were policies and procedures in place in relation to end of life care. Whilst the service were not currently supporting anyone at the end of their life, staff had received training and were knowledgeable and confident in this area.

Staff members we spoke with felt the service was well run by the registered manager and they were supported in their roles. They told us they were encouraged to discuss suggestions of how the service could be improved and were confident they would be listened to. They also felt the registered manager was approachable and had an open door policy.

The registered manager was able to describe how they continuously looked for feedback on how the service could be improved from people who used the service, their relatives, external professionals and staff members.