Background to this inspection
Updated
14 January 2020
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
One inspector undertook this inspection.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection
We made phone calls to people and relatives using the service on the 5 November 2019. We were successful at speaking with one person and four people’s relatives. We met the registered manager at the office location on the 7 November 2019 where we also spoke with three care workers. We looked at the care records for three people who used the service, and three staff recruitment, training and support records. We also reviewed records of safeguarding adults, complaints, incidents, accidents and quality monitoring.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
14 January 2020
About the service
Life Care Plus Limited provides care at home to people. They provide the regulated service of personal care to both younger and older adults some of whom are living with dementia and may have mental health or learning disabilities support needs.
However 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. At the time of our inspection eight people received the regulated service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider took steps to ensure staff previous work practice was appropriate and safe. However, a risk assessment was not written to reflect the safety measures taken when a reference could not be obtained. The provider's quality assurance system had not identified this shortfall.
The registered manager used systems to ensure they had an oversight of staff practice and undertook spot checks. They checked staff administration of medicines and addressed any concerns with staff.
Staff were provided with training to support them to undertake their role.
People and relatives spoke positively about the care workers. They described them as experienced and friendly. They told us care workers usually arrived on time and communicated well with people.
The registered manager met people to assess their support needs prior to offering a service. This assessment informed people’s person-centred care plans outlined how they wanted their care to be provided.
The registered manager also assessed risks to reduce the likelihood of harm to people and made suggestions to promote people’s safety and well-being.
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.
The registered manager and care workers supported people to access appropriate health and social care for their well-being. They followed health professionals’ recommendations.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection (and update)
The last rating for this service was requires improvement undertaken on the 9 September 2018 (published on 6 November 2018). At that inspection we found two breaches of the regulations in fit and proper persons employed and good governance.
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do by January 2019 to improve.
At this inspection, not enough improvement had not been made. This was because although improvements in auditing and oversight had been made there were still some shortfalls in the recruitment process.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm
Please see the sections of this full report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.