Background to this inspection
Updated
11 April 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 an announced inspection and took place on 13 and 14 March 2018. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the service is a domiciliary care agency and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also checked notifications made to us by the provider, safeguarding alerts raised regarding people living at the home and information we held on our database about the service and provider.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
There were 18 people receiving a service and 18 staff. During the inspection, we visited three people and their relatives’ and spoke with four staff. We also spoke with the registered manager and management team during the office visit.
We looked at two people’s care plans and two staff files. We also checked records, policies and procedures and quality assurance systems.
Updated
11 April 2018
This was an announced inspection that took place on 13 and 14 March 2018.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It is located in the Stockwell area and covers south London.
At the last inspection in February 2016 the key question of well-led required improvement as the agency did not have a registered manager. The key questions for safe, effective, caring and responsive were rated good and there was an overall rating of good. The agency now has a registered manager and the key question well-led that required improvement is now rated good.
There was 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People told us they were satisfied with the care and support that the agency supplied and enjoyed the way staff delivered the service.
The agency records were up to date and covered all aspects of the care and support provided for people, the support choices they had made and identified that they were being met. They contained clearly recorded, fully completed, and regularly reviewed information that enabled staff to perform their duties well.
Staff knew their responsibilities towards the people they supported, regarding the tasks they performed and were aware of how people liked to be supported. Staff had appropriate skills and provided care and support in a professional, friendly, kind and person centred manner.
Staff were aware that they must treat people equally and respect their diversity and human rights and this was reflected in their care practices during our visits. People said they felt treated fairly.
Staff were in receipt of appropriate training and made themselves accessible to people. They told us the organisation was a good place to work; they enjoyed their work and had access to good training and support.
People and their relatives were encouraged by the registered manager and staff to discuss health and other needs and passed on agreed information to GP’s and other community based health professionals, as required.
Staff protected people from nutrition and hydration associated risks by giving advice about healthy food options and balanced diets whilst still making sure people’s likes, dislikes and preferences were met.
The agency was aware of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and their responsibilities regarding it.
The registered manager was approachable, responsive, encouraged feedback from people and consistently monitored and assessed the quality of the service provided.
The health care professionals that we contacted were happy with the support that the agency provided for people.