Background to this inspection
Updated
27 August 2021
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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 14/07/2021 and ended on 28/07/2021. We visited the office location on 14/07/2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. We sought feedback from the local authority who pay for the care of some of the people who use the service.
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service and 15 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the provider and registered manager. This included face to face and telephone conversations. All the staff we spoke with provided care and support in people’s homes.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with the registered manager and provider remotely.
Updated
27 August 2021
About the service
Snowdrop Homecare Rutland is a domiciliary care service. The service provides personal care to people living in their own homes or flats. At the time of the inspection there were 22 people who use this service. The service support younger adults, older people, people with physical disability and sensory impairment including dementia.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service provided safe care. People felt safe. Staff knew how to raise concerns they may have about people’s welfare. The provider took steps to address concerns, manage risks and keep people safe without limiting their freedom and control. There were systems in place to record, manage and learn from incidents that occurred at the service.
We have made a recommendation about an aspect of medicines recording.
Staff had the skills and experience required to meet people’s needs. They promoted people’s health and wellbeing and referred them to health professionals when required. People consented to the care and support they received.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service had a culture of empathy and compassion. Staff were kind and treated people like they mattered. They also treated people with dignity and respect and promoted their independence where possible, and their right to privacy.
The care people received was centred on their individual needs. The provider had systems in place to support people’s communication needs. They were proactive in dealing with concerns and feedback raised to ensure care was responsive and met people’s needs. People told us this meant staff support felt like receiving help and support from their own family members.
People spoke highly of the leadership of the service. They promoted an inclusive and open culture within the service. Staff felt supported in their role. The registered manager understood and fulfilled their regulatory responsibilities. The service had effective systems in place to monitor and improve
the quality of care they provided.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 03/06/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.