Briarcare Recruitment Agency

Updated 23 November 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 announced comprehensive inspection was carried out by one inspector on 6 November 2018. We gave the service notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that someone would be available.

The inspection activity started on 6 November 2018 and ended 7 November 2018. On the first day we visited the office. We spoke with the managing director, registered manager, three members of office staff and two care workers. We reviewed 10 people’s care records, records relating to the management of the service, training records, and the recruitment records of three new and three existing care workers. On 7 November 2018 we spoke with six people who used the service, five people’s relatives, one person’s private carer and two care workers on the telephone.

We reviewed information we held about the service, including the statement of purpose, their registration documents and notifications we received from the service. Notifications are required by law which tells us about important events and incidents and the actions taken by the service. We also reviewed information sent to us from other stakeholders for example the local authority and members of the public.

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.

Updated 23 November 2018

Briarcare Recruitment Agency is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to adults. At the time of this announced inspection of 13 August 2018 there were 57 people who used the personal care service. We gave the service notice of the inspection to make sure that someone was available to see us.

This service was registered in December 2017 and this was their first inspection at this location. The service had been previously registered at another location which was inspected in July 2017 and had been rated good overall.

There was 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There were systems in place designed to provide people with safe care. Risks to people were managed, including risks from abuse and in their daily lives. There were enough care workers to ensure that all planned visit for people were completed. The service had a recruitment drive in place to reduce any risks of missed and late visits. Care workers were recruited safely. Where people required support with their medicines, this was provided safely. The service learned from incidents to improve the service. There were infection control procedures in place to reduce the risks of cross infection.

People were provided with an effective service. Care workers were trained and supported to meet the needs of the people using the service. Where people required assistance with their dietary needs, this was provided. People were supported to have access to health professionals where needed. The service worked with other organisations involved in people’s care to provide a consistent service. People were asked for their consent before any care was provided and their choices were documented.

People received a caring service. People had positive relationships with their care workers. People’s dignity, privacy and independence were respected and promoted. People’s views were listened to and valued.

People were provided with a responsive service. People received care and support which was assessed, planned and delivered to meet their individual needs. There were plans in place to improve how people’s end of life decisions were recorded, there were no people using the service who were at the end of their life. A complaints procedure was in place and people’s concerns were addressed.

People were provided with a service which was well-led. There were systems in place to assess and monitor the service provided. Where improvements were identified actions were taken to address them.