Simply The Best Care Ltd

Updated 10 June 2023

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2088 (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 telephone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Performance review and assessment team

The performance review and assessment was carried out by 1 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. The Expert by Experience carried out telephone calls to people and relatives.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Notice of performance review and assessment

This performance review and assessment was announced. We gave short notice on 02 May 2023 to the registered manager. This was so they would be available to support the performance review and assessment process.

Performance review and assessment activity started on 05 May 2023 and ended on 01 June 2023.

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 performance review and assessment there was a registered manager in post.

What we did before the performance review and assessment

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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 performance review and assessment process.

During the performance review and assessment

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls, telephone calls and email to enable us to engage with people using the service, relatives, the registered manager and staff. We used electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.

We spoke with 4 people and 6 relatives to gain their views of the care provided. We talked with the registered manager and 6 care staff about their work in supporting people in their own homes. A further 3 staff provided written feedback.

We reviewed a range of records. These included 6 people’s care records, multiple medication administration records and records relating to the management of the service and the safety and quality of people’s care. For example, quality audits, spot checks on staff practice, feedback sought from people and their relatives and 2 staff records showing us how staff were recruited and trained.

Additionally, we looked at a range of policies and procedures. These included policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, infection control and complaints management.

Updated 10 June 2023

About the service

Simply The Best Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in the community. The service is registered to provide support to older people, younger people, people with dementia and people with a physical disability. At the time of our inspection there were 60 people using the service.

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

Staff understood how to identify and alert others to potential abuse involving people who used the service. The risks to people had been assessed, and plans were in place to manage these and promote people’s safety. Staff assisted people to take and manage their medicines safely when this was assessed as part of their care service. Staff and management took steps to protect people from infections. Staff recorded and reported any incident or accidents involving people, so these could be reviewed and learned from.

The provider employed enough staff to provide people with a reliable service, and checks were made to ensure people’s calls were at agreed times and staff stayed for the assessed time. Recruitment procedures helped to ensure the right staff were employed.

People's individual needs were assessed with them before their care started. Staff received training and ongoing management support to help them work safely and effectively. People had support to prepare their meals and drinks where they needed this. Staff and management sought to work effectively with community health and social care professionals involved in people's care.

People's rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were understood and promoted by staff and management. 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.

People told us staff were kind and caring and treated them with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to have their say about the service provided. People's care plans were individual to them, and staff said they read and followed these. People and their relatives were clear how to complain about the service.

The provider had quality assurance systems and processes in place designed to enable them to monitor and improve people's care.

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. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

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 04 December 2020, and this is the first inspection.

This performance review and assessment 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, which will help inform when we next inspect.