We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 7 March 2018 when we visited the registered offices for the provider. We also spoke with people using the service and staff on 16 March 2018 and 03 April 2018. Loyal Companion Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults, and younger disabled adults. Not everyone using the service 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.
This is the first time we have inspected this provider.
The service had a registered manager in place. 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.
The registered manager did not have a robust auditing process which could ensure that processes were being followed by staff and that the service provided was fit for purpose.
Staffing levels were sufficient to provide the level of care required however people felt rushed and were not always provided with care for the agreed length of time.
People were not always supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet.
The provider followed the local authority policy and guidance when dealing with safeguarding people from harm and the staff we spoke with demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding issues.
There was a robust recruitment procedure to help ensure the staff recruited were suitable to work with the people using the service.
The service was not always flexible and responsive to people's changing needs, desires and circumstances.
Risk assessments were in place and were regularly reviewed and updated. Cleanliness and infection control procedures were in place and followed by staff to minimise the risk of acquired infection.
Staff were trained to administer medicines safely and had undertaken further training to ensure they could deal with a number of health issues. Regular checks were undertaken to help ensure on-going competence in this area.
Staff demonstrated a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The service demonstrated a commitment to staff training, which was on-going and regular refreshers were undertaken.
Supervisions were undertaken regularly and considered important in offering an opportunity for discussion between staff and management.
Confidentiality was respected and independence was promoted. 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
Communication with relatives was on-going throughout the duration of their relative's involvement with the service.
Comments and feedback was encouraged formally and informally and there was a complaints policy in place.
Team meetings were regularly undertaken, giving staff the opportunity to discuss any issues and to share good practice examples.
We found that the provider was not meeting some legal regulations. Further information is in the detailed findings below.
You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.