All About You Care Services Limited was inspected on the 30 May 2018 and the 04 June 2018. The first day of the inspection was unannounced. The second day was announced.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people with a range of needs including older people and people with physical and learning disabilities. In addition, this service provides care and support to people living in a supported living setting so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
The agency is based on the Industrial Estate at Poulton-Le-Fylde. At the time of our inspection visit All About You Care Services Limited provided care and support to 189 people. Not everyone using All About You Care Services Limited receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.
It is a statutory requirement that registered providers of health and social care services display their performance assessment from the last Care Quality Commission inspection report. At the last inspection in August 2016 we rated the service as good. We found the rating from the inspection carried out in August 2016 was not displayed on the registered provider’s website or in the office of the agency. This was a breach of Regulation 20A of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (Requirement as to display of performance assessments.) You can see the action we told the provider to take in the full version of the report. Prior to the inspection concluding we saw the rating was displayed as required.
At our last inspection in August 2016 the service was rated as good. At this inspection in May and June 2018, we found some records required further information to support staff to deliver care. We have made a recommendation regarding this.
We found quality audits were carried out to identify if improvements were required and people were asked their views on the service provided.
We found medicines were managed safely and people told us they were happy with the way their medicines were managed. We noted an error on the paperwork within the supported living service, and the temperature of the room where medicines were stored was not monitored. Prior to the inspection concluding, we were informed this had been rectified.
The registered provider completed a series of checks and investigations to identify where improvements were required in the quality of the service provided. Staff told us they were informed of the outcomes of these and told us they were proud to work for All About You Care Service Limited. They told us, We’re a professional team. We know our jobs and do them to a good standard.” Also, “I like working for an agency that wants to do the right thing by service users.”
Staff we spoke with knew the needs and wishes of people they supported. Staff spoke fondly of the people they supported and said they wanted to enable people to live independently in their own homes.
People told us they felt respected and valued and they considered staff to be patient and caring. People told us staff were kind. One person told us, “The kindness they show me is simply amazing.” Relatives we spoke with also commented on the caring nature of staff. One relatives said, ““They sit on the edge of the bed and talk to [my family member.] That means a lot.”
Relatives told us they were consulted and involved in their family members care. People we spoke with confirmed they were involved in their care planning if they wished to be.
Staff we spoke with were able to describe the help and support people required to maintain their safety and people who received support told us they felt safe. Staff were trained to ensure their knowledge was in line with best practice.
People told us they were supported to access healthcare professionals if this was needed. Relatives we spoke with also confirmed staff supported their family members to gain medical advice if this was required.
People told us they could raise their views on the service provided and there was a complaints procedure for people and relatives to use if they wished. We viewed a complaint and saw this was being responded to.
Staff supported people to have a nutritious dietary and fluid intake. Assistance was provided in preparation of food and drinks as they needed. Staff told us they would report any concerns regarding nutrition and hydration so action could be taken. The registered provider sought healthcare support when appropriate for people supported by All about You Care Services Limited.
Staff told us and people confirmed that staff wore protective clothing when required. This minimised the risk and spread of infection.
Staff told us they were committed to protecting people at the home from abuse and would raise any concerns with the registered manager or the Lancashire Safeguarding Authorities so people were protected.
Recruitment checks were carried out to ensure suitable people were employed to work at the service and staff told us they were supported to attend training to maintain and increase their skills.
There were sufficient staff to support people. People and relatives, we spoke with told us that overall they were happy with the staffing arrangements. People told us there were few occasions when staff were late, but these were unavoidable and they usually received a phone call to advise them of this. Staff we spoke with raised no concerns with the staffing arrangements.
People told us they were supported in accordance with their commissioned care package and they valued the staff who supported them.
The registered manager demonstrated their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People told us they were enabled to make decisions and staff told us they would help people with decision making if this was required. People are supported to have maximum choice and control in their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
Staff told us that at the current time, they were not supporting anyone with End of Life care needs. They told us and we saw that training was available and could be accessed as required. Staff told us they were confident they would be able to meet people’s needs.