Human Support Group Limited - Middlesbrough

Updated 23 October 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.

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location was a service for people who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector and an expert by experience who made telephone calls to people and their relatives. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

We reviewed other information we held about the service, including any statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescale. Before the inspection, we also contacted the local authority commissioners for the service and the local authority safeguarding team to gain their views of the service provided.

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 used this information to support the inspection planning.

During the inspection we looked at four care records for people who used the service. We examined three sets of staff files which covered recruitment, supervision and training records and various records about how the service was managed.

We spoke to seven people who used the service and two relatives over the telephone, the regional director, registered manager and four staff members. We provided staff who could not visit the office on the day a questionnaire and we received three back.

Updated 23 October 2018

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was announced.

Human Support Group is a domiciliary care agency that provides care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the service provided care and support to 41 people.

The service had 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection in February 2016, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The provider had arrangements in place to protect people from risks to their safety and welfare, including the risks of avoidable harm and abuse. Staffing levels were sufficient to support people safely and in line with their agreed care visits. A number of recruitment checks were carried out before staff were employed to ensure they were suitable.There were arrangements in place to protect people from risks associated with the management of medicines and the spread of infection.

We have made a recommendation about the timings of medicine administration.

Care and support were based on detailed assessments and care plans, which were reviewed and kept up to date. Staff received appropriate training and supervision to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge to support people according to their needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Where appropriate, people were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and welfare. People were supported to access healthcare services, such as GPs and occupational health.

Care workers had developed caring relationships with people they supported and knew people well. People were supported to take part in decisions about their care and treatment, and their views were listened to. Staff respected people's independence, privacy, and dignity.

People's care and support considered people's abilities, needs and preferences, and reflected their physical, emotional and social needs. People were kept aware of the provider's complaints procedure which would come into place if any complaints were received.

Effective management systems were in place to monitor the quality of care provided and to promote people's safety and welfare.

We have made a recommendation about collecting feedback from people who use the service.