Background to this inspection
Updated
26 May 2023
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
This inspection was undertaken by 1 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 the Care Quality Commission 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
This inspection was unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 24 April 2023 and ended on 04 May 2023. We had a video call with the registered manager on 04 May 2023 to share feedback.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We used this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we had received about the service since initial registration.
During the inspection
We sought feedback by telephone and email from people who used the service and their relatives, staff members, partner agencies and external health and social care professionals. We received feedback from 2 external health and social care professionals, 5 staff members, 3 people, 2 relatives, the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed records including staff training, complaints and compliment logs, accident and incident trackers and the registered manager’s governance and monitoring documents. We reviewed care plans and risk assessments for 2 people.
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls and email to enable us to engage with people using the service, relatives and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.
Updated
26 May 2023
About the service
Walfinch, Welwyn and Bishops Stortford is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care for people living in their own homes in the community. The service provides support for older people and younger adults who may live with physical disabilities, sensory impairment, mental health needs or dementia.
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. At the time of our inspection there were 28 people in receipt of the regulated activity.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe and protected from avoidable harm because staff knew how to identify and report any concerns relating to the risk of abuse. Risks to people’s health, safety and well-being were assessed and measures were developed to remove or reduce the risks. People were supported by a staff team who had been safely recruited.
People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff received appropriate training and had their competency assessed to help ensure they were sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to safely administer medicines. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment was provided for them. The management team took appropriate action following any incidents and learning was shared across the staff team.
Before care delivery started assessments were undertaken to help make sure people’s needs could be met. Staff received the appropriate training and support to enable them to carry out their roles safely and effectively.
Management and staff knew people well and were able to promptly identify when people’s needs changed, and they sought professional advice appropriately. 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 relatives praised the kind and caring nature of the staff team. People received regular consistent care from a small staff team. People knew about their care plans and confirmed they could decide what care and support they needed. People and their relatives said they were confident to raise concerns with the management team. Everyone we received feedback from during this inspection was satisfied with the care and support provided.
The management team was committed to providing quality care and support to people as well as the staff team and understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour. People, their relatives, external professionals and staff spoke highly of the management team and told us they were always available and supportive.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 28 March 2022 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.