Crofton Care Partnership

Updated 9 October 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

This inspection was carried out by one 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.

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 24 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 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 12 people who used the service, one relative and one neighbour about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, general manager and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We received feedback about the service from the local authority. We requested and received further information from the registered manager and general manager.

Updated 9 October 2019

About the service

Crofton Care Partnership is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 70 people with regulated activity.

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

The management of the service had a system in place to monitor and improve the service however there were areas were this was not fully robust and required improvement, for example in maintaining records. We gave feedback to the registered manager and general manager and this was taken on board. The general manager had taken steps during the inspection to improve this immediately. There was a positive culture within the service and the management were approachable. Staff felt well supported during their employment.

There were sufficient numbers of staff, who provided support within the thirty-minute window set by the provider. The service had undertaken appropriate recruitment checks on staff members to ensure staff were of good character. Staff understood their responsibilities around safeguarding. Medicine administration was managed appropriately but there were gaps in the records which were addressed during the inspection. Incidents and accidents were recorded and investigated.

Staff received training in a range of subjects that were appropriate to their role. People’s nutritional and hydration needs were met.

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.

We received positive feedback about the caring and compassionate approach of staff. Dignity and respect were always maintained and people were supported to remain as independent as possible.

Care visits were carried out on time. We received mixed feedback about the timeliness of calls however, the records of staff signing in and out of calls demonstrated that they arrived within thirty minutes of their scheduled time. Care records contained relevant information but would have benefitted from further details about people’s histories and preferences and around moving and handling requirements. People were confident to raise concerns with the management, though the service had not received any formal complaints.

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 7 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.