Quality Community Care Ltd

Updated 21 July 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 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 houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 June 2023 when the Expert by Experience made telephone calls to people and their relatives and ended on 22 June 2023. We visited the location’s office on 21 June 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who used the service and 5 relatives. We spoke with 3 members of staff which included the registered manager, care manager and administrator. We sought feedback from 6 members of staff which included senior carers and care staff. We looked at 7 care plans and multiple medication administration records. We looked at staff recruitment and training records and records relating to health and safety and the management of the agency.

Updated 21 July 2023

About the service

Quality Community Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing the regulated activity of personal care to older people, younger adults, people living with dementia and people with a physical disability. At the time of our inspection there were 49 people receiving support with personal care needs.

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.

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

People felt safe with the service they received and with the staff who supported them. Staff had been trained how to recognise and report any concerns. The provider followed safe procedures for the recruitment of staff. Staff were allocated sufficient time to meet people’s needs and spend quality time with them. People received their medicines from staff who were trained and competent to carry out the role. Risks to people were assessed and there were plans in place to mitigate risks. The provider followed best practice in relation to infection control and prevention and management of risks relating to COVID-19.

People were supported by staff who were trained and competent to carry out their role. People were assessed to ensure their needs and aspirations could be met. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the provider's policies and procedures supported this practice. People saw healthcare professionals when they needed.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who respected their wishes and treated them with respect. People were supported to live their lives as they chose and were regularly consulted about the care they received. People were supported to be as independent as they could be.

People told us staff knew them well and what was important to them. People’s communication needs were assessed and understood by staff. People and their relatives did not raise any concerns about the care they received but felt confident action would be taken to address any concerns they may have. There were systems in place to ensure people’s needs and preferences would be understood and met during their final days.

Systems to monitor and improve the quality of the service were effective in driving improvements. The registered manager worked in partnership with other professionals to ensure good outcomes for people. They were aware of their legal responsibilities and of their responsibility to be open an honest when things go wrong. People were supported by a registered manager and staff team who were highly motivated and committed to providing the best possible care and support. Staff morale was good, and staff told us they felt well supported. Staff received the supervision and support needed to carry out their role effectively. The views of people were sought and valued.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for the service at the previous premises was good (published 7 September 2017).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Quality Community Care Ltd on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.