Best for Care

Updated 29 June 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 associated with 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:

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

Service and service type:

Best for Care is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older adults, younger disabled adults and people living with dementia, or a learning disability.

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:

This inspection was announced. We gave the service short notice of the inspection visit because it is small, and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the provider registered in July 2018. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about. We requested feedback about the service from the local authority safeguarding and commissioning teams.

We asked the service to complete a 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 used this information as part of our inspection planning.

On 10 June 2019, we visited one person and a relative in their own home. We also spoke with the provider on the telephone, who was working as care staff for the person. During the office visit on 11 June 2019, we spoke the registered manager, reviewed one person’s care records, one staff member’s personnel files and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 29 June 2019

About the service:

Best for Care is a domiciliary care agency, providing services to older adults and people with physical disabilities and complex health needs. At the time of our inspection, one person was receiving the regulated activity of personal care from the service.

Not everyone using the service receives the regulated service of personal care. CQC only inspects the personal care service provided to people, that is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where personal care is provided to people, we also take account of any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service met the characteristics of Good in most areas; more information is in the full report. We have made a recommendation about fully implementing Accessible Information Standards to ensure people's communication needs are fully met.

People told us staff were kind, offered them choices and treated them with respect. Staff knew people well, including their preferences and care needs. However, more information needed to be documented in care records about people’s likes and dislikes, life stories and information about future wishes, to fully facilitate person-centred care.

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 and/or their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care.

People and their relatives told us they felt safe in the company of care staff. Staff were aware of reporting any safeguarding concerns to the registered manager and had received safeguarding training. A complaints procedure was in place and people told us they knew how to raise any concerns.

People’s nutritional and healthcare needs were supported, and medicines were managed safely. The service liaised with healthcare professionals to ensure people’s care and support needs were met.

Safe recruitment procedures were in place, although we were not able to test this during our inspection because the provider currently carried out care and support. However, they were looking to recruit another staff member to this role. People told us staff completed all required tasks, stayed the required length of time and informed them if their visit was going to be late.

Systems were in place to ensure staff received appropriate training and updates. The provider had completed appropriate training prior to providing care and support. Systems were in place to support staff and give them the opportunity to discuss any concerns and their ongoing development needs.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of care provided and further areas were being developed. People were positive about the care provider and registered manager and said they were approachable and supportive.

Rating at last inspection: This is the first rating of the service since it was registered in July 2018.

Why we inspected: This service was registered with us on 3 July 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

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