Helping Hands Southend on Sea

Updated 29 March 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 completed by three inspectors.

Service and service type

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

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.

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. We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager and care coordinator and examined a range of records. We reviewed five people’s care records and three staff recruitment records, including evidence of training, supervision and ‘spot visits.’ We looked at people’s daily journals and people’s Medication Administration Records [MAR]. We looked at the service’s quality assurance systems, staff training records, complaint and compliment records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification to validate evidence found. We spoke with three people who use the service and two people’s relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We spoke with four members of staff.

Updated 29 March 2022

About the service

Helping Hands Southend on Sea is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of inspection, 19 people were using the service, of which 10 people were receiving the regulated activity of ‘Personal Care’.

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

Suitable arrangements were in place to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. Staff understood how to raise concerns and knew what to do to safeguard people. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and followed by staff. Recruitment procedures were safe, and calls were monitored to ensure people using the service received support in line with their care needs. Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure people received their medication. People were protected by staff’s prevention and control of infection practices. Lessons were being learned and improvements made when things went wrong.

Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure staff were appropriately trained and newly appointed staff received an induction, including shadowing experienced staff. Staff felt valued and supported and received supervision. Appropriate arrangements were in place to ensure people received enough food and drink to meet their needs. People received ongoing healthcare support as needed. 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 and those acting on their behalf told us their care needs were met and they were treated with care and kindness. Staff had a good rapport and relationship with the people they supported.

People’s care and support needs were documented, and staff had a good understanding and knowledge of these and the care to be delivered. People were confident any concerns raised would be listened to and acted upon. People told us the service was well-led and managed. Quality assurance arrangements enabled the provider to monitor the quality of the service 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 in January 2021 and this is the 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, which will help inform when we next inspect.