The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Home Care Leicestershire South

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Bassett Street, South Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 4PE (0116) 275 9377

Provided and run by:
Leicestershire County Council

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

3 June 2015

During a routine inspection

We inspected Home Care Leicestershire South on 3 and 5 June 2015. The inspection was unannounced. Home Care Leicestershire South provides personal care services to people in their own homes in their own homes across Leicestershire. The agency is located in Wigston, Leicester. The service was providing support for up to 198 people at the time of our visit.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act, and associated Regulations, about how the service is run.

At our last inspection on 6 February 2014 the service was meeting all the regulations we inspected.

People using the service and relatives we spoke with said they thought the agency provided safe care. Staff were trained in safeguarding (protecting people from abuse) and understood their responsibilities in this area.

Some people using the service and their relatives told us that on occasions they thought there were enough staff to meet people’s needs as there were no missed calls. However, some people wanted to have the same staff as they thought this would provide better understanding of their needs. A few people’s risk assessments were in need of improvement to help ensure staff understood how to support them safely.

People using the service and relatives told us they thought medicines were given safely and on time.

People told us they were happy with the competence and skills of the staff who provided care to them. Records showed staff had a comprehensive induction and on-going training.

Staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and the home’s training records showed they had attended courses on this. However, assessments of people's capacity were not in place to show they were encouraged to make choices about how they wanted their support provided.

People said they liked the food that staff prepared for them or helped them to prepare. They said staff asked them what they wanted and their requests were met.

All the people we spoke with told us they liked the staff and got on well with them. The people we spoke with said they had been involved in making decisions about their care and support which showed they were encouraged to decide how they wanted their support provided. People also said staff protected their privacy and dignity.

People told us they received personalised care that met their needs. Records showed their preferences, for example getting up and going to bed times and whether they preferred a bath or a shower, were met. Care plans were individual to the people using the service and focused on their strengths and preferences.

People and their relatives told us they would speak out if they had any concerns, but this had not been necessary.

People and staff said they were generally satisfied with how the agency was run and said staff and management were approachable and committed to improving the service. People had the opportunity to share their views about the service by being provided with questionnaires.

The registered manager and staff carried out audits and checks to ensure the agency was running smoothly. Records showed they took prompt action if any improvements were needed to the service.

6 February and 11 March 2014

During a routine inspection

There were over 200 people that used the service at the time of our inspection. The main aim of the service was to enable people discharged from hospital to regain their previous daily living skills.

We sent out 61 questionnaires out to people using the service. Each person was also sent an additional questionnaire to give to a relative, friend or advocate. A total of 30 questionnaires were returned.

Not all of the people we spoke with were complimentary about the service, but these comments were very much in the minority. One person remarked “My mother was seen by a carer (care staff) at approximately 9.15 am. I (only) received a call at 4.15pm telling me she was unwell. I pointed out that they had seen her 8 hours ago and that was a long time for them to be able to contact me.” This relative rated the overall service as ‘excellent’.

Another person stated “I think (name of person) needs the extra help for a longer period than 6 weeks. She struggles to wash herself in the shower and is not very steady on her feet. I worry she could slip on the wet floor.” This relative rated the overall service as ‘good’.

People confirmed that they had been involved in decisions about their care and that care workers had treated them with respect.

We found that care workers had access to on-going training and support.

Records were held securely until such time they are no longer required and then securely destroyed.

31 January 2013

During a routine inspection

We did not visit people who used the service at their home to speak with them, but we reviewed recent feedback that people had provided HART about what they thought about the service they had experienced. We looked at 30 feedback forms that had been received between August 2012 and January 2013. All of the responses were positive and complimentary. A theme of the feedback received was that people had been supported to increase their independence and had been supported in a kind and dignified manner. Comments that were representative of the feedback received included, "My carer was very prompt. She let me try things at my own speed, helped me to do things I couldn't do. I was able to do things I couldn't do at the beginning." Another person wrote, "There has been a continuity with the carers which has helped me considerably." Referring to how care workers supported people one person wrote, "I have found the carers to be professional and obviously well trained." Another person expressed that they had experienced, "a good level of care with dignity, courtesy and kindness."

We found from looking at support plans, reviewing other documentation and talking with staff that the feedback people had provided was an accurate reflection of the quality of service that had been provided.