Updated 20 May 2022
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
Registered manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. However, the manager had begun the process to become registered.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. 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 manager would be in the available to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 5 April 2022 and ended on 27 April 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service.
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.’ [Adapt as required dependent on methods used]. Confirm the dates of the inspection activity (refer to inspection using remote technology guidance). We spoke with two people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the manager, the area manager and three staff members. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records. We looked at records relating to two staff files to check recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.