Acorn Care Services

Updated 29 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

The 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 a short period of 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. We also wanted to give the registered manager time to arrange for us to meet with people who received care.

Inspection activity started on 10 September 2019 and ended on 13 September 2019. We visited the office location on 11 September 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

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 eight people who used the service and five relatives by telephone to find out about their experience of the care provided. We visited the office and spoke with the registered manager, head of care and administrator. We reviewed a range of records. These included six care records, three staff files and records relating to the management of the service. We visited one person in their home and met with their relative. We observed a carer during this home visit and how they supported the person. We looked at the care records and daily notes completed by care staff in the home.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at the safeguarding policy and mission statement. We telephoned and spoke with five care staff.

Updated 29 October 2019

About the service

Acorn Care Services is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care for people living in their own homes. At the time of this inspection, 31 people were receiving personal care support from the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received exceptional care and support from a staff team who valued and celebrated individuality and diversity. People spoke of staff being ‘part of our family’ and said how their visits got the day ‘off to a good start’. One person said, “I am blessed to have this agency”.

Staff worked exceptionally well together to involve people, and their family members in the planning and delivery of care. One person told us, “They are very respectful and as I get stronger I can do more for myself and they are pleased for me”. Another said, “They do silly extra things like getting things from a high shelf or putting dishes away. We all have our ways and they fit in with me”.

Care was highly personalised to meet people's needs. Care plans provided detailed information and guidance for staff on people's care and support needs, likes and dislikes, and exactly how they wished to receive personal care. People's communication needs were identified and planned for. People expressed confidence that they could raise any issues or concerns with any member of staff or the management team and that these would be addressed.

Staff were incredibly proud of the service. One staff member told us, “We are a small agency, we know our clients. It is nice to make a real difference and keep someone in their own home as long as possible, you look forward to seeing them all”. Staff felt supported and received regular training and supervision. There was very low turnover of staff which was testimony to the strong and supportive leadership and management.

People benefited from a well led service. The registered manager had shaped a culture where people were at the heart of the service. There was a clear leadership and management structure in place which helped to ensure staff were clear about their role and responsibilities. The service was well organised and had a range of systems in place to ensure its smooth operation and to support good communication.

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.

Care staff were well informed about risks to people's health or wellbeing and knew how to deliver their care safely. People said staff arrived on time and they were informed in advance of which carers would be supporting them. Staff supported people to take their medicines or reminded them when they were due. People were protected from the risk of infection. Staff wore disposable aprons and gloves when providing people with personal care. Everyone we spoke with felt safe in the company of staff.

In feedback to the provider, one person had commented, ‘For me, you and staff cannot be improved upon. Excellent service by everyone’.

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 30 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.