Archived: Sheffcare Home Care Services

Updated 18 January 2016

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 registered provider was 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 inspection took place on 17 and 18 November 2015 and short notice was given. We told the registered manager two working days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the registered manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available. This inspection was undertaken by two adult social care inspectors.

Before our inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included correspondence we had received about the service and notifications submitted by the service. We asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The PIR was returned as requested.

We contacted Sheffield local authority and Sheffield clinical commissioning Group (CCG). Information received was reviewed and used to assist with our inspection.

As part of this inspection we spoke in person or over the telephone with people supported by Sheffcare Home Care Services, to obtain their views of the support provided. Whilst ten people were supported with personal care, only eight people were available to speak with as two people were in hospital at the time of this inspection. We visited two people in their own homes and spoke with them or their representatives. We also telephoned six people and were able to speak with four people’s relatives about the care their relative received.

We visited the office and spoke with the registered manager, the care coordinator and the administrator. In addition, four care workers visited the office base so we could speak with them.

We spent time looking at records, which included five people’s care records, three staff records and other records relating to the management of the service, such as training records and quality assurance audits and reports.

Updated 18 January 2016

Sheffcare Home Care Services is registered to provide personal care. Support is provided to younger adults and older people living in their own homes throughout the city of Sheffield. Support can range from practical support with household tasks to befriending, help with personal care and sitting services that may include overnight support. The agency office is based in the Netherthorpe area of Sheffield, close to transport links. The service is available 365 days each year, 24 hours a day.

At the time of this inspection Sheffcare Home Care Services was supporting ten people whose support included the provision of the regulated activity ‘personal care’.

There was a registered manager at the service who was registered with CQC. 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 legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Our last inspection at Sheffcare Home Care Services took place on 7 April 2014. The service was found to be meeting the requirements of the regulations we inspected at that time.

This inspection took place on 17 and 18 November 2015 and short notice was given. We told the registered manager two working days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the registered manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available.

People supported by the service and their relatives or representatives told us they felt (their relative was) safe with their care workers and staff were respectful. People told us the support provided met their needs and the care workers were kind, caring and polite. People spoken with said they had some regular care workers that they knew well. They usually knew which care worker would be visiting to support them and care workers generally arrived when they should.

We found systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely.

Staff recruitment procedures were thorough and ensured people’s safety was promoted.

Staff were provided with relevant induction and training to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge for their role. Staff understood their role and what was expected of them. They were happy in their work, motivated and proud to work at the service. Staff were confident in the way the service was managed. The service followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Code of practice and the principles of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This helped to protect the rights of people who may not be able to make important decisions themselves.

The support provided was person centred and each person had a support plan that accurately reflected their needs and wishes so that these could be respected. Support plans had been reviewed to ensure they remained up to date.

People supported and their relatives or representatives said they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to. People using the service and their relatives had been asked their opinion via surveys, the results of these had been audited to identify any areas for improvement.