Background to this inspection
Updated
28 October 2016
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 was 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 was carried out on 19, 20 and 23 September 2016 and was done by one inspector. The service was given 2 working days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure someone would be available to speak with us. The inspection visits and getting feedback from care staff were carried out by one inspector and an expert-by-experience carried out telephone calls on 22 and 23 September 2016 to obtain feedback from people using the service 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.
Before we visited the service we checked the information that we held about it, including any notifications sent to us informing us of significant events that had occurred at the service. Notifications are for certain changes, events and incidents affecting the service or the people who use it that providers are required to notify us about. We also viewed the results of questionnaires sent out by CQC that had been completed and returned by eleven staff working for the service, four people using the service and two relatives of people using the service. 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.
During the inspection we viewed a variety of records including recruitment and training details for five staff, care records for four people using the service, some in detail and some to view specific area of care, medicines administration record charts for two people using the service, monitoring records, staff allocations, the business strategy and other documentation relevant to the inspection. We also viewed a selection of the provider’s policies and procedures.
We spoke with the chief executive, the registered manager, two locality managers, four senior care practitioners and six care support workers. After the inspection we contacted seven people using the service and eight relatives of people using the service to get feedback about the service people received.
Updated
28 October 2016
The inspection was carried out on 19, 20 and 23 September 2016 and the inspection was announced. The service was given 2 working days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure someone would be available to speak with us. Telephone calls to gain feedback about the service from people and relatives were made on 22 and 23 September 2016. This was the first inspection under the current registration with the Care Quality Commission.
Carers Trust Hillingdon is a charity and offers support to people who require help with day to day routines including personal care, a respite care service, companionship, meal preparation, light housework, shopping and accompanying people to appointments and activities. At the time of our inspection there were 50 people receiving personal care. The provider, Carers Trust Thames is an independent registered charity. Carers Trust Thames is a network partner of Carers Trust.
Some aspects of the service had not been monitored effectively so issues had not always been picked up and addressed. Action was being taken to improve the auditing of the service and improve monitoring. The issues identified had not had an impact on people’s care and safety.
Procedures were in place to safeguard people against the risk of abuse. Staff understood the importance of keeping people safe and reporting any concerns.
Risks were being assessed and where required action plans put in place to minimise them. Staff knew the action to take if someone was unwell including summoning the emergency services.
Staff recruitment procedures were in place and being followed. There were enough staff available to meet the needs of people using the service.
Where they were involved with supporting people with medicines, staff understood medicines administration procedures and provided people with the support they needed to take their medicines safely.
Staff received training and supervision to provide them with the knowledge and skills to care for and support each person effectively.
Staff respected people’s rights to make choices about their care and support and knew to act in their best interests.
People were supported to maintain their nutritional intake and were assisted with meals if required.
Staff understood the importance of maintaining people’s health and knew how to access healthcare input if people required it.
People and their relatives were very happy with the service and said staff were kind and treated them with dignity and respect. They said staff took the time they needed to provide the care and support they required.
Care records were person-centred and reflected people’s individual needs and wishes. Staff read and understood these so they could give people the care and support they needed.
People’s care and support was reviewed annually and whenever any changes in their care were identified, so people’s needs continued to be met.
Procedures for raising complaints were in place and people and relatives knew how to raise any concerns so they could be addressed.
People and relatives could contact the service easily and at any time they needed to and said the management team were approachable and supportive. Staff also said the management team were supportive and approachable and enjoyed working for the service.