Background to this inspection
Updated
5 August 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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 domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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 unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 16 June 2022 and ended on 02 July 2022. We visited the location on 17 June 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return in time prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three members of staff and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at seven 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. The Expert by Experiences spoke with 13 people who used the service and seven family members.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
5 August 2022
About the service
Premier Care Warrington Branch is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 249 people using the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe using the service however we have made recommendations regarding medication recording and communication pathways.
Safe recruitment practices were followed, and appropriate checks completed to ensure that only suitable staff were employed. There was an ongoing process of staff recruitment to ensure people were supported safely and effectively. Staff received an induction and were supported through a programme of regular supervision and practice checks.
People were supported by staff, who had the appropriate training and skills to provide care safely and effectively. The provider had systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Accidents, incidents, safeguarding and complaints were managed appropriately and monitored by the management. The provider had a range of audits in place to ensure the service continued to improve.
People had care plans and risk assessments in place, and these were regularly reviewed. Staff understood the actions needed to minimise the risk of avoidable harm including the prevention of infection. People had individual care plans that gave information on how to support them according to their wishes.
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 described their regular care staff as caring and that they respected their wishes and privacy.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 10 September 2019.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.