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Archived: Homecare

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Trinity Court, Molly Millars Lane, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2PY (0118) 977 8600

Provided and run by:
Optalis Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 5 March 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations under the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type:

Homecare is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to older people and people who may have dementia, a physical disability, a sensory impairment and/or mental health needs.

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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is a small service and we needed to make sure the relevant staff and information would be available in the office.

The inspection site visit took place on 13 February 2019. We visited the office location to see the office staff and to review care records and policies and procedures. The registered manager was not available on the day of the visit. The head of regulated services for the provider was present and assisted us during the day.

What we did:

Before the inspection site visit:

¿ We looked at information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is

information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service,

what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

¿ We looked at all the information we had collected about the service. This included previous

inspection reports, information received and notifications the registered manager had sent us.

A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about

by law.

¿ We contacted five community professionals asking for feedback on the service and received

responses from two.

¿ We contacted 14 members of staff asking for feedback on working for the service and received

responses from 11.

During the inspection site visit we looked at:

¿ Three people's care plans, daily notes, monitoring records and medication sheets.

¿ The one recruitment file of new staff employed after the service registered. Other staff had

transferred from another of the provider's services and their recruitment had already been

checked when we inspected that service.

¿ The staff training matrix.

¿ The staff supervision log.

¿ Management audits and quality assurance reports.

¿ Policies and procedures.

¿ Records of accidents and incidents.

¿ Staff meeting minutes.

¿ Records of compliments.

¿ Records of concerns.

After the inspection site visit, for feedback of their experiences, we contacted:

¿ Three people who use the service.

¿ Four relatives of people who use the service.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 5 March 2019

About the service:

Homecare is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 19 older people using the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

People’s experience of using this service:

¿ People felt safe and the service assessed risks to the health and wellbeing of people who use

the service and staff. Where risks were identified action was taken to reduce the risk where

possible.

¿ Recruitment processes were in place to make sure, as far as possible, that people were

protected from staff being employed who were not suitable.

¿ Medicines were handled safely by staff who had been assessed as competent to do so.

¿ People received effective care from staff who were well trained and supervised.

¿ People felt the service they received helped them to maintain their independence where

possible.

¿ People and their relatives said staff were caring and respected their privacy and dignity.

¿ People received care that was designed to meet their individual needs and preferences.

¿ 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 knew how to complain and knew the process to follow if they had concerns.

¿ People's right to confidentiality was protected and their diversity needs were identified and

incorporated into their care plans where applicable.

¿ One relative told us, "We find the frontline team to be friendly, well trained and knowledgeable

and they have made a real difference to the quality of life my [relative] enjoys in their twilight

years… They have never let my [relative] down whatever the weather or their staffing levels…

I would like to offer my thanks to the Optalis organisation and request that you pass on my praise

of the current service we receive."

Rating at last inspection:

This was the first inspection of the service since it was added to the provider's registration on 15 March 2018. The service was not previously rated.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned comprehensive inspection in line with our aim to carry out the first inspection of a service within six to twelve months of the date of registration.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor all information we receive about this service. This informs our ongoing assessment of their risk profile and ensures we are able to schedule the next inspection accordingly.