Background to this inspection
Updated
26 August 2022
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
This inspection was completed by an 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.
Registered manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there were two registered managers in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 28 July 2022 and ended on 4 August 2022. We visited the location’s office on 28 July 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). 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 two people and four family members to gather their views of the service provided. We spoke with three care staff, the nurse consultant and one registered manager who was also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed care records for five people and four people's medicine administration records. We looked at five staff files for recruitment and range of other records related to the overall management of the service.
Updated
26 August 2022
About the service
NFC Health and Social Care provides care and support to people living 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 89 people were receiving personal care.
People's experience of using the service and what we found
Risks to people's health and well-being had been identified and detailed plans were in place to provide staff with up-to-date information and guidance about how to support people safely. People's medicines were managed safely by staff who had received training in medicine administration and had their competency to administer medicines regularly assessed.
People told us they felt safe and well-supported by staff. One person said, "I am very happy with the care I receive. They [staff] are very nice people and I feel safe. I am never wary of them. I have a variety of carers and I know them all well." Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to respond to any concerns of abuse.
People told us staff arrived on time and completed all the tasks that were required. Safe recruitment processes were followed to ensure newly recruited staff were suitable to work for the service.
People's needs had been assessed and staff had access to information about how to support people in line with their needs and preferences. People were supported to access health care and referrals to relevant professionals were completed when people's needs changed.
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.
People and family members told us staff were kind, caring and respectful and treated people with compassion. One family member said, “They [staff] are kind, very caring and respectful. They are also very supportive and well trained."
The registered managers promoted a culture that was person-centred; feedback from people, family members and staff evidenced this. The service was described as 'organised' and 'well-managed'. One family member told us, “The company is well organised and the office is very responsive. All my concerns have been dealt with to my satisfaction and shortcomings addressed satisfactorily. I would recommend them."
Governance systems in place supported a culture of continuous learning and improvement to the care people received. Audits and checks were completed and any issues identified were addressed.
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 on 12 February 2020.
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, which will help inform when we next inspect.