Management Office

Updated 16 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector on both days of the inspection and an Expert by Experience on day one of the inspection. 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.

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 we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 05 June 2019 and ended on 10 June 2019. We visited the office location on 05 June 2019 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures; and we spoke to people who used the service and their relatives. We spoke with other care staff by telephone on 10 June 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the provider, registered manager, business manager, quality assurance and training manager, care coordinator and four members of care staff.

We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, audits and governance records. We looked at six people’s care records and medication records. We looked at six staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.

Updated 16 July 2019

About the service

H.S.L Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people living in their own homes, including some people with a learning disability and/or autism. The agency mainly (but not exclusively) cares for and supports people from South East Asian ethnic communities. The agency's office is situated in south Manchester. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to 65 people.

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

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Staff had awareness of safeguarding and knew how to raise concerns. Steps were taken to minimise risks to people and staff where possible.

The service had a medicines policy in place, recently reviewed. We have made a recommendation about the management of some medicines.

Systems were in place to recruit staff safely and they were equipped with the skills required to provide effective care and support; this was achieved through support and guidance for the management team, regular training and refresher training and observations of practice.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff supported some people to access other healthcare professionals when required and also supported some people to manage their medicines safely.

People were supported by a small group of regular staff which provided continuity and familiarity. Staff had developed relationships with people and knew them well; people received person-centred care as a result. People told us staff promoted their independence and treated them with dignity and respect.

People were involved in making decisions about their care and involved in reviews to ensure their care plans met their needs and supported them to achieve outcomes.

The service had an open and supportive culture. Systems were in place to monitor the quality and safety of care delivered. There was evidence of improvement and learning from any actions identified.

There were enough trained staff on duty to support people safely. Recruitment processes were robust and helped to ensure staff were appropriate to work with vulnerable people.

People’s needs were thoroughly assessed before starting with the service. People and their relatives had been involved in the care planning process.

Staff were competent and had the skills and knowledge to enable them to support people safely and effectively; people’s comments supported this view. Staff received regular supervisions and annual appraisals were planned.

People were supported in a friendly and respectful way. People and their relatives were complimentary about the staff and their caring attitude.

People’s care plans were person-centred and provided staff with the information they needed to provide care and support in a way that met people’s needs and preferences. There was clear evidence care plans were reviewed regularly or as people’s needs changed.

People knew how to make a complaint, although no formal complaints had recently been made to the service. There was an effective complaints process in place to deal with any complaints that might be raised in the future.

The registered manager and staff were committed to providing high quality care and support for people.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 12 December 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.