Anchusa Care

Updated 31 January 2024

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and 2 Expert 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.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service under 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be available to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority commissioners and safeguarding team. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location's office. We used technology such as video calls, telephone calls and emails to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.

We commenced the inspection on 09 August 2023. On 11 August 2023 we spoke with people and relatives and received email feedback from 5 staff. Between 14 June 2023 and 16 June 2023, we reviewed records relating to people’s care and the management of the service. On 17th June 2023 we met with the registered manager to discuss our findings. We then spoke with staff on 06 September 2023 and reviewed further records we had requested and concluded the inspection on the 08 September 2023.

We spoke with 14 people who used the service and 12 people’s relatives. We received email feedback from 5 staff and spoke with a further 11 members of staff. We also spoke with the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records which included 6 people's care and medication records. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, training records, policies and procedures compliments and findings from recent local authority reviews of the care provided.

After the inspection

We continued to review information relating to care and support along with training and development records and further management records to validate the rating provided.

Updated 31 January 2024

About the service

Anchusa Care provides personal care and support to older people living in their own homes both as live in care and domiciliary care visits. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. At the time of our inspection 140 people received personal care.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

People were at the centre of the care provided to them. Staff and people had formed positive relationships that helped achieve positive outcomes for them. People were treated as individuals who mattered to staff. The providers ethos of care supported staff to ensure people and their relatives were looked after in a kind and compassionate manner and treated with dignity and respect. The service had a strong, visible person-centred culture and was exceptional at helping people to live their lives to the fullest.

People and relatives were at the centre of decision making about their care. People and their relatives valued the relationships formed with staff and said this had a huge positive impact on theirs and their relatives’ lives.

People told us that they felt safe with staff. Staff understood risks to people's care and what they needed to do to reduce the risks of injuries to people. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people and what they needed to do if they suspected abuse. Before staff started work checks were undertaken to ensure that they were suitable. There were sufficient numbers of staff employed at the service and systems were in place to ensure there were no missed calls to people. People's medicines were managed in a safe way by staff. Staff followed best practice with regards to infection control.

Staff received a detailed induction before starting work. All staff spoken with said they felt supported, and continuous training supported them to deliver high quality care. Staff competencies were reviewed regularly through spot checks and meetings with their line manager.

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 were supported in line with their dietary needs. Staff monitored people's health and immediately referred to the relevant health professionals. Regular reviews were undertaken and any changes to people's needs were actioned by staff.

The provider had a clear and accessible complaints procedure. Some further development was required around end of life care.

Systems were in place which monitored the quality of people's support. The systems were responsive and had led to changes being made during this inspection. The provider was proactive with regard to how people's support could be improved following feedback regarding the quality of care records, call monitoring and consent. Every person, relative and staff member told us the provider was approachable, supportive and that they felt the service was well managed.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was outstanding (report published 7 November 2017)

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection following a review of information we hold about the service.

The overall rating for the service has changed to Good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Anchusa Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.