Background to this inspection
Updated
22 November 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
One inspector and two Expert by Experiences. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection in accordance with our current methodology for the inspection of this type of service. This enabled the service to seek people’s consent to talk with our experts by experience by telephone. Inspection activity started on 18 October 2019 and ended on 23 October 2019. We visited the office location on 18 October 2019.
What we did before 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 with15 people who used the service and four relatives by phone about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with six members of staff and both of the service’s registered managers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included seven people’s care and 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, procedures and the service’s rotas and call monitoring data were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with a further 11 members of care staff and requested feedback on the service’s performance from two health and social care professionals.
Updated
22 November 2019
About the service
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community in all areas west of Truro. The packages of care provided range from short visits at key times of the day to 24-hour care dependant on the person's care needs. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting approximately 250 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 using the service consistently told us they felt safe and that staff were caring and respectful. Their comments included, “I feel safe because the staff are so competent at what they do", "[The staff] are absolutely lovely, they spoil me" and “I feel respected, I just feel it.” Relative were also complementary of the service and the quality of support it provided.
The service’s rotas were well organised and there were enough staff available to provide all planned care visit. A mobile phone call monitoring application was used to ensure all visits were provided and to share information securely with staff. No one reported having experienced a missed care visit and staff told us, “I have never known of any missed visits”.
Risks had been assessed and staff were provided with guidance on how to manage and mitigate risks while providing support. The service had appropriate procedures in place during periods of adverse weather and operated a lease car scheme to reduce the risk of visits being missed due to vehicle breakdowns.
All necessary recruitments checks had been completed and people were safely supported to take their medicines as prescribed.
People told us, “All the carers that come here are trained and know what they doing” and records showed staff had the skills necessary to meet people’s needs. Training was regularly updated, and staff were well supported by their managers.
People enjoyed the company of their staff who they described as, “lovely”, “Jolly” and “Wonderful”. Rotas showed people received support from small teams of staff who visited regularly. Staff told us, “I see the same people every week” and “I like my job and I like looking after people”. Staff were keen to support people to remain living in their own homes and people told us their care was never rushed.
People were able to make choices and staff respected their decisions.
People and their relatives were involved in the development and review of care plans and told us these documents were accurate and up to date. They included clear guidance on the support required during each visit and staff told us, “There is enough information in the care plans”.
People were supported to access healthcare services, staff recognised changes in people's health, and sought professional advice appropriately.
Staff were well motivated and there was a positive open culture within the service. People’s feedback was valued, and records showed action had been taken to address and resolve any issues reported to managers. Staff said, “They listen, everything we report gets addressed” and “I love working for them, it is probably the best job I have ever had”.
The service was well led. Management roles were clearly defined and there were effective quality assurance processes in place. People were complimentary of the service and relatives told us, “I don’t think they can improve on anything”. Staff said, “It is brilliant here, everything just runs along nice and smoothly.”
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 good (published 20 April 2017).
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.