Background to this inspection
Updated
17 April 2020
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is registered as 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. Registered managers and providers have legal responsibilities for how they run the service and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because the Coronavirus had just begun to develop in the UK, and we needed to be sure people and staff were not displaying symptoms of the virus or self-isolating for their own protection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. 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 prior to this inspection. 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 of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and one person’s relative. We also spoke with four members of staff and the registered manager.
Updated
17 April 2020
About the service
Eleanor Lodge is registered as a domiciliary care agency. Following the inspection, the provider told us they were considering adding supported living as their service type. The service would need to consider and review the changes that would be required to meet the principles of Registering the Right Support.
At the time of inspection, the service was supporting 12 people with their personal care needs. People were living in a building that had been separated into five different flats and was connected to the main office. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. In this service, the Care Quality Commission can only inspect the service received by people who get support with personal care. This includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people receive such support, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Improvements were required to the overall direction and oversight of the service. The service was registered as a domiciliary care agency. However, there was confusion for the registered manager, staff, relatives and people who used the service about the type of service that was being provided. We consistently received feedback that the service was a supported living service, this was not the vision from the provider.
Improvements were required to ensure people had risk assessments in place with sufficient guidance for staff. A review was required of the processes regarding people’s mental capacity assessments to ensure they were being applied for correctly. People’s healthcare needs were well met, However, improvements were required to ensure there was cohesive and co- ordinated care from healthcare agencies.
Care plans were not always reviewed and updated at regular intervals and people’s end of life wishes were not always recorded. Improvements were required to ensure robust and regular auditing of the service was maintained.
People received safe care and support from staff that were thoughtful and kind. The staffing team knew people well and worked effectively as a team. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and how to keep people safe from harm. People were supported to take their medicines as independently as possible, and encouraged and empowered people to make their own choices.
Staff were respectful and treated people well. They received supervision and guidance on a regular basis and had training which matched the needs of the people they supported. People enjoyed using the service and the support they received.
For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
This was the first comprehensive inspection for this service.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date we registered the service and the information we held about the service.
Enforcement
We have identified a breach in relation to the oversight and governance of the service.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
What happens next?
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 work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.