Bee's Care Agency Limited

Updated 13 November 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 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.

The inspection took place on 16 October 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice of the inspection as we needed to be sure that the office was open and staff would be available to speak with us.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector who visited the agency’s office in the Rochester area of Medway and an expert-by-experience who made calls to people using the service. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert-by-experience for this inspection had experience in care for people in the community.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete 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 looked at information we held about the agency, such as notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents which the provider is required to tell us by law. We used all this information including the PIR to plan our inspection.

As part of the inspection, we spoke with the provider who was also the registered manager. We also spoke with two care workers providing direct support. We spoke with five people on the phone. We also contacted healthcare professionals involved in the service. We received feedback from a healthcare professional.

During the inspection visit, we reviewed a variety of documents. These included two people’s care records, which included care plans, health care notes, risk assessments and daily records. We also looked at two staff recruitment files and records relating to the management of the service, such as audits, satisfaction surveys, staff rotas, policies and procedures.

Updated 13 November 2018

This inspection took place on 16 October 2018 and was announced.

Bee's care agency provides care services to people in their own homes mainly in the Medway area. The care they provided was tailored to people's needs so that people could maintain or regain their independence. This included older people who had been discharged from hospital and needed help with day-to-day tasks like cooking, shopping, washing and dressing and help to maintain their health and wellbeing. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity of 'personal care.' CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and administration of medicines. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 10 people.

The registered manager was also the provider. 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, the service was rated good. At this inspection, we found the service remained overall ‘good.’

Risks continued to be appropriately assessed and mitigated to ensure people were safe. Medicines were managed safely and people had received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff knew what they should do to identify and raise safeguarding concerns. The registered manager knew their responsibilities in relation to keeping people safe from harm.

Effective systems continued to be in place to enable the provider to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. Accident and incident records were closely monitored, actions were taken in a timely manner to ensure lessons were learnt.

People were happy with their care and support. Staff had built up good relationships with people.

The service provided good quality care and support to people enabling them to live as fulfilled and meaningful lives as possible.

Staff were caring and kind in their approach and had a good rapport with people. People told us they were treated with dignity and respect. People’s privacy was respected.

People were asked about their needs relating to culture, race, religion and sexual orientation in their assessment. This was recorded in their care plan and staff were aware of this.

There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. The provider continued to operate a safe and robust recruitment and selection procedure to make sure staff were suitable and safe to work with people. Staff received training, which enabled them to meet people’s needs. They also received support and supervision to enable them to carry out their roles safely.

People were encouraged to make their own choices about everyday matters. People’s decisions and choices were respected.

People's care plans clearly detailed their care and support needs. People were fully involved with the care planning process. The service had developed care plans which clearly detailed people’s preferences, likes, dislikes, mental health and social needs. Care had been delivered in line with people’s choices. The registered manager reviewed each person’s care with each person as and when necessary.

Where necessary, people were encouraged to have a healthy diet which met their health needs.

People were supported and helped to maintain their health and to access health services when they needed them. The registered manager and staff maintained good communication with other organisations such as the community nursing service, GP and other healthcare services.

People were given information about how to complain. People were actively involved in improving the service. They completed feedback surveys and had regular meetings with the providers.

Staff were positive about the support they received from the management team. They felt they could raise concerns and they would be listened to.

The registered manager had built links with other healthcare professionals and continued to work closely with them.