Background to this inspection
Updated
21 December 2022
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and 1 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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
The provider was given 17 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 28 October 2022 and ended on October 2022. We visited the location's office.
What we did before the inspection
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.
During the inspection
We spoke with 6 people and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We received feedback from members of staff including senior care workers, an Occupational therapist and the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care and support records and two people's medicine administration records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and training. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, staffing rotas, accident and incident records, safeguarding records and quality assurance reports.
Updated
21 December 2022
About the service
Smarter Care Provision is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes, for older people with dementia and learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder and mental health. At the time of this inspection 8 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care from the service. 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
People's needs were appropriately assessed before support began. The service worked together with healthcare professionals and relatives to ensure people's needs could be met. People felt safe in the care of Smarter Care Provision. People received support with their medicines as prescribed.
People's care plans were detailed and kept up to date to ensure they received effective care and support. The service encouraged people to be independent and maintain a safe living environment.
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.
At the time of the inspection, the service did not provide care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.
Staff understood people and their individual needs well. People's needs were appropriately assessed before the service began in the person’s home. People were supported by appropriate numbers of staff on each visit to ensure their safety and support needs were met. Staff knew people well and provided kind, caring, person-centred care and support. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs. There were appropriate risk assessments in place to support people to keep safe and maintain their environment.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Implementing the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. Care was person-centred and promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Staff were appropriately trained on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to report safeguarding concerns.
The registered manager promoted a positive and open culture at the service, and people experienced good quality care, and support because trained staff could meet their needs. Staff told us they felt supported by the management team and that they were able to contact a senior person when needed. Staff demonstrated good understanding about providing people with person centred care and spoke knowledgably about how people preferred their care and support to be given.
The Provider was focus on the recruitment and development of staff to ensure that people received a safe, caring and responsive service.
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 the 2 December 2020 and this is their first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.