Background to this inspection
Updated
21 February 2023
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 completed by one inspector.
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 CQC 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
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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
We visited the providers office location. We reviewed a variety of records related to quality and safety and spoke with the registered manager.
After the inspection
We continued to analyse the information gathered during the inspection visit. We also gathered feedback from people who used the service and/or their representatives.
Updated
21 February 2023
About the service
Calm Homecare is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people in their own homes or flats. At the time of the inspection 9 people were using the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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
The registered manager led by example, creating and embedding a culture where people felt valued and their individual contributions recognised. Care and support was provided to people by a team of staff who were dedicated, passionate and committed to their roles. Staff were caring and ensured people were treated in a dignified and respectful way.
Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse, and the service worked well with other agencies to do so. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.
Medicines management was good. The registered manager was also a qualified and practicing pharmacist. This standout feature of the service meant medicines management was enhanced, particularly for people with more complex needs and for those receiving end of life care.
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 important to them, were involved in care planning. Staff evaluated the quality of care provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate.
The service worked seamlessly with NHS services to provide end of life care to people in their own homes. This meant people who were nearing the end of life, could be cared for in familiar surroundings, supported by people they knew well and could trust.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on and this is the first inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.