We carried out a review of the data available to us about ExcelCare24 on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about ExcelCare24, you can give feedback on this service.
ExcelCare24 is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community.
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. . At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to 32 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received safe care and were protected against avoidable harm, neglect and discrimination. Risks to people’s safety were assessed, staff were aware of the risks, and care plans detailed how they were to be appropriately managed.
Staff were appropriately recruited, and staff were deployed in enough numbers to meet people’s assessed needs. Where the provider took on the responsibility, people's medicines were safely managed. Systems were in place to control and prevent the spread of infection.
People had good relationships with staff. People were supported to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care. Staff maintained people’s privacy and dignity and treated people with respect.
People’s needs, and choices were assessed. Staff received induction training and ongoing training and support that enabled them to further develop their skills and knowledge to provide effective care.
People were supported to maintain good nutrition and hydration. Staff supported people to access healthcare services when required.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People and their families were fully involved in the care planning and reviews of their care. The provider had a complaints procedure which was accessible to all people using the service. Complaints were responded to appropriately.
Quality assurance systems were used to monitor all aspects of the service delivery to continuously drive improvement of the service.
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 this service was Good (published 25 April 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.
Excel Care 24 provides personal care to people who live in their own homes in order for them to maintain their independence.
At the time of our inspection the provider confirmed they were providing personal care to 18 people.
There was 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.
Staff had a good understanding of abuse and the safeguarding procedures that should be followed to report abuse. Staff were confident that any concerns they raised were followed up appropriately by their manager and people were kept safe.
People had risk assessments in place to enable them to be as independent as possible. All areas of a person’s life were assessed for risk and staff were able to support people safely and in a positive manner.
Staffing levels were adequate to meet people's current needs. People told us that their care was not missed and staff told us they could confidently complete the shifts that were needed to be covered.
The staff recruitment procedures were robust and ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out to ensure only suitable staff worked at the service.
Staff induction training and on-going training was provided to ensure they had the skills, knowledge and support they needed to perform their roles.
People told us that their medicines were administered safely and on time. Appropriate and accurate records were kept when staff were involved with the administration of medication.
Staff were well supported by the registered manager and senior team, and had regular one to one
Supervisions, spot checks and competency assessments to monitor their ongoing skill and performance within their roles.
People's consent was gained before any care was provided and the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were met. Consent forms were signed by people or their representatives when required.
People were able to choose the food and drink they wanted and staff supported people with this. Staff were able to explain both the preferences and health requirements that people had within their diets and provide the support to them that they needed.
People were supported to access health appointments when necessary. Staff had good knowledge and links with health professionals and helped people to both book and access a variety of different appointments.
Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect and spent time getting to know them and their specific needs and wishes. Both the management and the staff had a good knowledge of people’s likes and dislikes, their personal history, personality, and family relationships.
People and their families were involved in their own care planning and were able to contribute to the way in which they were supported.
The service had a complaints procedure in place to ensure that people and their families were able to provide feedback about their care and to help the service make improvements where required.
The people we spoke with knew how to use it.
Quality monitoring systems and processes were used effectively to drive future improvement and identify where action was needed.