Unite Healthcare Ltd

Updated 28 October 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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This 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 homes.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that the registered manager and provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We announced the inspection visit 48 hours' before it took place. This was because we needed to give time to prepare in advance for our visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspection activity started on 25 September 2020 and ended on 30 September 2020. We visited the office location on 25 September 2020.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke over the telephone with four people who used the service and eight family members about their experiences of the care provided. We also spoke with the registered manager, provider and six members of care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at the recruitment files for three staff employed since the last inspection.

After the inspection visit

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic we limited the time we spent on site. Therefore, we requested records and documentation to be sent to us and reviewed these following the inspection visit.

Updated 28 October 2020

About the service

Unite Healthcare is a domiciliary care service that provides support and personal care to older people in their own homes. 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 102 people were receiving support with personal care.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

Since the last inspection, the new registered manager and provider had worked hard to make necessary improvements to the governance systems and processes and overall service delivered. This included the implementation of more robust and effective systems to monitor key aspects of the service.

Safe recruitment processes were in place. A range of pre-employments checks were completed to ensure newly recruited staff were suitable to work for the service.

People told us they received care and support from regular staff who knew them well. They told us calls were completed at the times agreed in their care plans and that staff stayed for the required amount of time.

People told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them, and family members were confident their loved ones were well looked after. Staff showed a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities for keeping people safe from harm.

Risks to people had been assessed, including risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those identified were managed safely by competent staff. Where people required support with medication, this was managed safely. People and family members confirmed that medication was received at the right times.

People and family members spoke positively about the overall management of the service and the care provided. The registered manager and provider promoted a person-centred culture and provided evidence throughout the inspection to support this.

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 (published 14 October 2019). The provider was in breach of Regulation 17 (Good Governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. They completed an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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.