Background to this inspection
Updated
3 March 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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
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 CQC. 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.
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure someone would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 6 February 2020 and ended on 10 February 2020.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection, we looked at the information we held about the service. This information included statutory notifications the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. We also contacted local authority commissioners and asked them for their views about the service. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During our visit to the registered office we spoke with the registered manager, and the office manger. We contacted three staff by telephone. We looked at three people’s care records and a selection of medication and medication administration (MARs). We looked at other records including quality monitoring records, recruitment and training records for three staff and other records relating to the management of the service. We spoke over the telephone with one person using the service and one relative.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training certificates and emailed health and social care professionals.
Updated
3 March 2020
About the service
Abnercare Ltd provides personal care and support to adults living in their own homes in the community. 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 the inspection, five people were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were protected from avoidable harm and abuse. Staff had all completed safeguarding training and knew how to raise concerns. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were proactively assessed, recognised and managed. There were enough staff with the right mix of skills to support people safely and effectively. Staff were recruited and selected safely. Medications were safely managed, administered and stored in people’s homes. Incidents, accidents and near misses were recorded and monitored to ensure there was opportunity for lessons to be learned. Infection control and prevention was managed well at the service.
Staff were supported and supervised, trained, and suitably skilled to meet the requirements of their role. We received very positive feedback from different social care professionals regarding the skills of the staff. Staff worked in collaboration with other agencies such as GP’s and CPN’s 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/ did not support this practice.
Staff treated people with respect, kindness, equality and dignity. One person said " “This is the best care company I have been in bar none, I honestly cannot say anything more positive about them.” Care plans contained information for each person which described how they liked to be involved in their care, and what their preferred routines were. People had signed their care plans if they were able.
A personalised care plan was developed for each person with their involvement or with their family members involvement if appropriate. People’s interests and chosen activities were prioritised by staff. There was a complaints process in place which outlined response times and procedure. End of life care was discussed sensitively and with care and compassion.
The registered manager had a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities in line with regulatory requirements and was open and honest regarding some out of date information and missing audit plans. They had already begun to address this. The service was open and inclusive and fully considered people’s equality needs. There was a positive approach to working in partnership with others.
The registered manager had already begun to improve their approach to record keeping and quality assurance. This system was in the process of being implemented at the time of out inspection.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 8 October 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our approach to inspecting newly registered services.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.