My Carer

Updated 10 June 2017

We carried out this 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 inspection took place on 5 May 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that representatives of the management and staff would be in the office to meet us.

The inspection team consisted of an 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 service.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service, including the provider information return (PIR). This is a form in which we ask the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed notifications the provider had sent us since our previous inspection. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We contacted the local authority commissioners and healthcare professionals who stayed in touch with the service to obtain their views about the service. We received written feedback from two health care professionals.

During our inspection visit we spoke with 11 people supported by the service and three family members. We also went to the office of My Carer to speak about the service with some individuals concerned. They included one of the registered managers, three staff members providing care in the community and one person who used the service. We also received comments from ten people after the inspection visit who wished to express their praise of the service for the exceptionally high standards of support provided.

We reviewed four people’s care plans, four staff files, training records and records relating to the management of the service such as audits, policies and procedures.

Updated 10 June 2017

This announced inspection took place on 5 May 2017. My Carer is a domiciliary care agency providing support and care to people in their own homes throughout the Wantage and Faringdon area of Oxfordshire. At the time of our inspection My Carer was providing services to 68 people.

There were two registered managers 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.

We received some extremely positive feedback about the service. People, their relatives and healthcare professionals told us the quality of the care and support provided by My Carer surpassed all their expectations.

People received safe care from staff who had been appropriately trained to protect people and identify signs of abuse. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any concerns and followed the provider's policies in relation to safeguarding and whistleblowing. Robust recruitment procedures helped to ensure only suitable staff were employed at the service.

Risks were assessed, managed and reviewed to help ensure people's safety. Staff were deployed appropriately and capacity of staffing hours was closely monitored. People were assisted with their medicines safely and told us they received them on time.

The provider valued their staff team and endeavoured to take steps to retain and develop staff to their full potential. They believed this was the key to delivering high quality, consistent care. A number of measures had been employed to recognise the contribution staff made and this was appreciated by staff who told us they felt valued and respected.

People’s rights were recognised, respected and promoted. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and we saw people’s consent was sought routinely. Staff were knowledgeable about the rights of people to make their own choices. This was reflected in the way the care plans were written and the way in which staff supported and encouraged people to make decisions when delivering care and support.

Staff supported people to choose food they liked and to eat healthily. People received enough food and fluids to remain healthy and staff monitored this when required. People had adapted equipment to help them eat independently, if they needed it. People had detailed plans to help staff and health professionals provide the care and support they needed to remain healthy and manage any existing health conditions

People were involved in developing and reviewing their care plans. Where people required support with their food and drink, medicines or personal care, the level of support they needed was identified and assessed. The aim of this procedure was to promote people’s independence by enabling them to do as much for themselves as possible without making them feel burdened. People received personalised care, tailored to their individual needs.

People and relatives were delighted with the kindness and thoughtfulness of staff which exceeded their expectations of how they would be cared for and supported. People explained how staff went over and above what they expected from them and they couldn't ask for anything more. People told us the support they received significantly improved their well-being.

People we talked to consistently referred to the registered managers and staff as kind and caring people. They told us they valued their relationships with the staff who supported them and the support provided often exceeded what they had requested.

The service was extremely responsive to people’s needs and wishes even if the support people needed proved to exceed their contracted hours. People told us that staff went over and above the call of duty and people said this made a great difference to their lives.

People felt consulted and listened to about how their care would be delivered. Care plans were personalised and centred on people's preferences, views and experiences as well as their care and support needs. People's histories, family relationships and religious and cultural needs were taken into account while preparing their care plans. People's care and support were planned in such a way as to facilitate working towards their aims and ambitions. The provider recognised people's achievements and encouraged them to always make headway by setting new targets whenever their care was reviewed.

People were able to express their opinions and were encouraged and supported to have their voice heard. People were fully involved in planning and reviewing their care and support needs.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people felt confident to raise any concerns either with the staff or the registered manager if they needed to.

The registered managers led their team by example, showing strong, inclusive and innovative leadership that focused on enhancing the service and creating positive outcomes for people.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and staff reflected on their practice to identify and implement changes when required.