Midsomer Homecare

Updated 20 December 2019

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

The inspection was completed by one inspector, one assistant inspector and two Experts-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 and service type

This service is a care at home service (a domiciliary care agency). It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke by telephone with 22 people who used the service and 13 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff also by telephone. In addition, we spoke with the registered manager, provider and operations manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication 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, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We received further written feedback from one person, two relatives, six staff and six health and social care professionals.

Updated 20 December 2019

About the service

Carewatch (Bath & North East Somerset/BaNES) (“Carewatch”) is a care at home service. They provide services in people’s own homes.

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. On this inspection, 103 people were being provided with personal care.

There was a clear vision of delivering an excellent caring service which was led and driven by the registered manager and provider. The quality of the service was monitored closely, and any concerns responded to openly and thoroughly. There were clear lines of governance that sought to improve the perception of care at home services (domiciliary care services) locally and regionally. In this way, a wider group of people would receive a great service as a result.

Staff were recruited in good numbers and trained to meet specific needs. People were able to have a dedicated team of staff who knew them well. Everyone spoke about the rapport that was then able to develop. Care was planned with people and for people to get the best from their lives. From initial assessment, to full care plan, to end of life, people were assured of the care they desired.

People received care and support that was clearly personalised to their needs, respectful of their rights and delivered by staff who were extremely well trained and caring. Their views about their care and the service were important to the registered manager, provider and staff. Health needs and food and hydration needs were met fully. Any issues were identified and followed through to a good conclusion.

Feedback about the service from people, family and linked professionals always mentioned the service in positive terms. People said, “I class the staff as my friends. They will take time to sit and have a chat or sing with me. They are respectful in the way they look after me and talk to me. When they are here, it’s you they concentrate on, they make me feel I matter”; “The way they treat me makes me feel I am an individual” and, “It’s perfect. They are lovely and good; we have a laugh and a joke. I won’t have a word said against them. I don’t know about feeling special but one of them brought me a present back from holiday so that’s lovely”.

Relatives said, “They are always friendly and try to stimulate my mum with conversation, they talk about her life and the news and the weather. Anything really” and another said, “They are brilliant. It’s more than just a job, they have a laugh and joke with him and that helps him relax”.

Staff ensured the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) was applied in line with the law and guidance. People were then supported fully 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. The service and staff ensured they met the requirement to seek consent and put in place the right form of communication for that person. Staff supported and advocated for people to communicate with other services and health and social care workers to ensure their voice was heard.

The service had a positive approach to risk and linked the assessment process to the MCA and duty of care. This meant people’s rights to take risks in their life was respected but was measured against their ability to understand this fully. Staff knew how to recognise and keep people safe from abuse. The safety of children was also always considered.

People’s medicines were managed safely, and people were protected from infection by clear policies, processes and practices being in place.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (the report was published 25 April 2017).

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Carewatch (Bath & North East Somerset) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. At this inspection we have found the service has remained the same. .

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.