Percurra

Updated 28 April 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.

The inspection site visit took place on 13 March 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we wanted to be sure that a representative of the provider would be available to assist us with the inspection. We visited the office location on 13 March 2018 to meet with the provider and to review care records and policies and procedures. We made telephone calls on 27 February 2018 to people who used the service and their relatives and to care staff on 12 March 2018. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

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. The inspection was also informed by other information we had received from and about the service. This included previous inspection reports.

During our inspection we spoke with six people who used the service and one relative over the telephone. The service had a registered manager; however, they were not available at the time of our inspection. We also spoke with the provider, senior care co-ordinator and two care workers.

We looked at all or some of the care records of three people who used the service, the medicines administration records of 11 people, staff training records and the recruitment records of three members of staff.

Updated 28 April 2018

This announced inspection took place on 27 February, 12 and 13 March 2018. This service is a domiciliary care agency and provides care and support to adults living in their own houses and flats. Not everyone using Percurra 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. During our inspection, 24 people were provided with ‘personal care’ by Percurra.

The service had a registered manager at the time of our inspection. 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe and were supported by staff who knew what action they should take if they suspected abuse. Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and measures were in place to reduce the risk of harm to people. People’s needs were met and the provider was taking action to ensure they continued to have a sufficient amount of staff. People were provided with medicines by staff who received the required training. The provider was in the process of implementing a new system to improve the administration of medicines. People were protected by the prevention and control of the spread of infection and action was taken in response to any accidents or incidents which occurred when the service was being delivered.

People were supported by staff who had received an induction when they commenced working at the service and training relevant to their role. People were supported to eat and drink enough and were supported with their health care needs. Information was available in the event that people needed to move between services. Staff were provided with information about people’s health conditions and the support they required with this. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. Staff respected people’s preferences and wishes about how their support was delivered. People were supported to maintain their privacy and dignity. The provider was aware of support available to people to help them express their views and wishes and told us this would be considered if a person needed this support. People were supported to maintain their independence as much as possible.

People’s needs were assessed before they started using the service. People told us they received care and support at the time and in the way it was needed. People were supported to maintain their interests and important relationships. People were given opportunities to make a complaint or raise concerns about the service they received, however it was not always clear whether complainants were happy with the response provided. We have made a recommendation about ensuring that complaints were fully responded to. People were supported in line with their wishes at the end of their life.

People and staff told us that improvements were required with communication as they were not always informed of changes or received feedback. Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service and changes were being made to ensure that timely and accurate information was available to staff. A registered manager was in place who was aware of their responsibilities. The provider sought and acted upon people’s feedback in relation to the service they received.