Background to this inspection
Updated
1 September 2018
We carried out this comprehensive inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is 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.
This comprehensive inspection visit took place on 31 July 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit as, we needed to be sure someone would be in the agency office.
The inspection team consisted of an adult social care inspector.
Before our inspection on 31 July 2018 we reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider, about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people the service supported. We also checked to see if any information concerning the care and welfare of people who used the service had been received.
We contacted the commissioning department at Lancashire County Council and Healthwatch Lancashire. Healthwatch Lancashire is an independent consumer champions for health and social care. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service.
As part of the inspection we used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection we spoke with a range of people about the service. They included three people who received care and support, and three relatives. of people who received care and support. We also spoke with the care manager and five care staff. The registered manager was not available on this inspection. We looked at the care records, risk assessments and medicines information of three people, staff training matrix and staff and service user rotas. We checked staff recruitment and staff supervision records of three staff which were held at the head office in Blackpool. We looked at records relating to the management of the service and quality assurance monitoring. We also checked the office base to check it was a safe workplace.
Updated
1 September 2018
This inspection visit took place on 31 July 2018 and was announced. This is the first inspection since the service registered with CQC in July 2017.
At this inspection we found the service was rated Good.
South Ribble Care is a domiciliary care agency. It is part of I Care Ltd and provides personal care to people who live in their own homes. The service covers a wide range of dependency needs including people with a learning disability, people with mental health problems, people living with dementia and older people.
At the time of our inspection South Ribble Care was providing a service to 60 people.
There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC 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. Having a registered manager is a condition of registration with CQC. The registered manager was based at I Care’s Blackpool office. Although he was not based at South Ribble Care, the care manager at South Ribble office was able to contact the registered manager as needed.
People told us staff safely supported and cared for them or their family member. They said they were friendly and caring. One person said, “My carers’ look after me so patiently. I know them and feel safe with them.”
There were procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. Risk assessments were in place which provided guidance for staff. This minimised risks to people. Staff supported people with and managed medicines safely. People we spoke with told us staff were competent in the support they gave with medicines.
Staff told us they had enough time to care for people in an unhurried and dignified way. People said staff usually arrived on time, stayed for the correct time allocated and did not rush them.
People told us they were usually supported by the same group of staff who they knew and liked. They told us they had confidence in their staff team who were familiar with their needs and preferences.
Staff were recruited safely and had received training in how to care for people. They also received regular one to one supervision to discuss, current care provided, future plans and any support or training need. These measures gave them with the skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective support.
Staff supported people to have a nutritious dietary and fluid intake, taking into account the person’s nutritional needs, likes and dislikes.
There were safe infection control procedures and practices and staff had received infection control training. Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of infection.
Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People who received support consented to care where they were able. Where people lacked capacity, appropriate best interests’ decisions were carried out.
Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. People who received support or where appropriate, their relatives had been involved in making decisions about their care.
People we spoke with knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available to them and they told us any concerns were listened to and acted upon.
We found the registered manager, care manager and staff team had clear lines of responsibility and accountability. They were clear about their roles and provided a well-run and consistent service. People and their relatives were encouraged to give their views about the care provided. They told us they were pleased with the support they received. They told us the care manager was competent and well respected by people who used the service, their relatives and the staff team.
The care manager and senior care staff monitored the support staff provided to people. They checked staff arrived on time and supported people in the way people wanted. The care manager monitored the service provided and informed the registered manager of any concerns.