Quality Care Devon

Updated 16 March 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This was a comprehensive inspection completed on the 25, 26, 27 February 2019 and was announced. We gave the service notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector and one assistant adult social care inspector.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. We reviewed notifications of incidents that the provider had sent us since their registration. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.

We reviewed the information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we met with six people and spoke to another five people by telephone all who received support with personal care and lived in their own home. We also spoke to three relatives and spoke directly to six staff members and met with the registered manager and provider. We received feedback from two professionals.

We looked at four records which related to people’s individual care needs. We viewed four staff recruitment files, training evidence and records associated with the management of the service. This included policies and procedures, people and staff feedback, and the complaints process.

Updated 16 March 2019

Quality Care Devon is a domiciliary care service registered to provide personal care and support to people living in either their own homes or with family members within the Torquay area.

Not everyone using Quality Care Devon received a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; such as help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection there were 114 people receiving personal care.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection in August 2016 the service was rated Good overall. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service remained rated Good.

People commented; “We are very well looked after and cared for” and “The best I’ve had, couldn’t have better”. A relative said; “I need to know my loved one is treated with respect, and they are.”

People continued to be safe using the service. People were protected by safe recruitment procedures to help ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. People had their needs met by suitable numbers of staff, with extra staff support provided when required.

Peoples’ medicines were managed safely. Staff completed medicines training and knew and understood the importance of safe administration and management of medicines.

People were protected from abuse because staff knew what action to take if they suspected someone was being abused, mistreated or neglected. Staff completed safeguarding training.

Peoples’ risks were assessed, monitored and managed by staff to help ensure they remained safe. Risk assessments were completed to help support and enable people to retain as much independence as possible and help reduce risks from occurring. Risks associated with people's care and living environment were effectively managed to ensure their freedom was promoted.

People received effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff confirmed they attended team meetings, received one to one supervision and appraisals to monitor their practice. Staff without formal care qualifications completed the Care Certificate (a nationally recognised training course for staff new to care). Staff said the Care Certificate training looked at and discussed the Equality and Diversity policy of the company.

People were enabled and supported to lead fulfilling, independent and active lives. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People's human rights were protected because the registered manager and staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People who required assistance with their food, made a choice of meals, snacks and drinks they enjoyed. Staff monitored people's health and well-being and made sure they had access to other healthcare professionals according to their individual needs.

People continued to receive a service that was caring. Staff demonstrated kindness and compassion for people through their conversations and interactions. If people found it difficult to communicate or express themselves, staff offered additional support and showed patience and understanding.

People could make a complaint and were confident action would be taken to address their concerns. The registered manager treated complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve. The complaints procedure was available in an easy read version to assist people.

People’s communication needs were known by staff. The service remained responsive to people's individual needs and provided personalised care and support. People received information in a format suitable for their individual needs. Throughout the inspection we saw evidence of how the registered manager and staff understood and promoted people's rights as equals regardless of their disabilities, backgrounds or beliefs. People’s equality and diversity was respected and people were supported in the way they wanted to be.

The service was well led. The provider had systems in place to monitor, assess and improve the service. There was an open culture, and people and staff said they found access to the office and registered manager welcoming and easy. Staff were positive and happy in their jobs. There was a clear organisational structure in place.

The provider worked hard to learn from mistakes and ensure people were safe. The registered manager and provider had an ethos of honesty and transparency. This reflected the requirements of the duty of candour. The duty of candour is a legal obligation to act in an open and transparent way in relation to care and treatment.