Background to this inspection
Updated
28 March 2023
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was to ensure the registered manager would be available to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 2 March 2023 and ended on 9 March 2023. We visited the location’s office on 2 March 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We spoke with professionals in the local authority. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and care coordinator. We spoke with 6 relatives and 6 people receiving care. We received email feedback from 7 care staff. We reviewed care records for 3 people and looked at other documents relating to the running of the service such as spot check records and accidents and incidents.
Updated
28 March 2023
About the service
Helping Hands is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 45 people using the service. 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe because there were systems in place to protect them from abuse and staff received training to know how to identify and report concerns. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s care needs and safe recruitment processes in place. People were supported safely with their medicines. We did receive some mixed feedback about consistency of staff and whether people knew in advance who was supporting them.
Staff were trained and supported in their roles and told us they felt valued and listened to. Staff worked with other health and social care professionals when required to ensure people’s needs were met.
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.
Staff were kind and caring and built positive relationships with people they supported. People’s independence was encouraged, and they were treated with dignity and respect.
People received person centred care which recognised them as individuals with their own unique needs. Care was reviewed regularly to ensure it remained up to date. People received information about how to make a formal complaint and there were procedures in place to manage these.
The service was well led. There was a registered manager in place supported by a care coordinator. Communication with staff was good. Staff told us they were able to get hold of senior staff when needed. People’s views were sought and taken into consideration in the running of the service. There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety 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 8 August 2018).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about staff training, skills and support and care of people living with dementia. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.