Background to this inspection
Updated
15 December 2022
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
This inspection was undertaken 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 type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave four days' notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a telephone call from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this. This was because some people needed a court appointed deputy or relative to speak on their behalf.
Inspection activity started on 15 November 2022 and ended on 30 November 2022. We visited the office location on 23 November 2022.
What we did before the 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 it was registered in June 2022. We sought feedback from the local authority safeguarding team. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with six people, five other people's relatives, 11 staff including the registered manager, chief operating officer, team leaders, care staff and a customer relations manager. We reviewed a range of records. We looked at four people's care plans, various medicine administration records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed, including training records, incident records, complaints, compliments, quality assurance processes and various policies and procedures.
Updated
15 December 2022
About the service
Ness M Care Services is a domiciliary care service registered to provide personal, and/or nursing, care to people living in their own homes. The service was providing a range of support including to older people, people with mental health needs and people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 52 people were using the service, 51 of whom received personal care.
Some people were also supported with live-in care. This is where staff stay in the person’s home for a large proportion of the day and were part of the person’s household.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Trained staff administered people’s medicines and these staff had been deemed competent. However, people had not always received their medicines as prescribed. Staff were not always open when mistakes were made.
People and relatives told us staff knew how to safeguard and support people to keep them safe. There were enough staff who had been recruited safely and people were supported by a consistent staff team who they felt comfortable with. Staff adhered to good infection prevention and control practises. The service and the staff team took on board learning when things went wrong.
Risks to people were identified and managed well. Risks assessments were detailed including checks for equipment, food and fluids intake, people’s home environment and people’s skin integrity.
People's assessed needs were met by staff who had appropriate skills. People were supported to eat and drink enough healthy choices. People were supported to access healthcare support when needed. 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 received care that was compassionate, respectful and promoted their independence.
People's individual needs were responded to in a person centred way. People's care plans contained person centred information which staff used to ensure people's preferences were respected. Complaints were responded to in line with the provider's procedures. People were supported with dignified end of life care when this was needed.
The registered manager led by example and was in the process of recruiting an additional manager to support them. Staff felt comfortable to report events or incidents when things went wrong. Oversight and quality assurance monitoring procedures were in the main effective.
The registered manager took onboard learning opportunities when needed and implemented actions when needed. People's, relatives' and staff's views were sought, and this enabled them to have a say in how the service was provided. The provider worked well with other organisations, to provide people with joined up care.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating
This service was registered with us on 13 June 2022 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about staffing, missed or late care call visits and management of the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.