Background to this inspection
Updated
17 November 2021
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 Care Quality Commission. This means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also wanted time to obtain contact details of people who used the service and relatives, where appropriate.
Inspection activity started on 15 September 2021 and ended on 24 September 2021. We visited the office location on 16 September 2021.
What we did before 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 of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, regional service manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
17 November 2021
About the service
KEYFORT Liverpool is a domiciliary care agency providing care to people living in their own homes, so they can live as independently as possible. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting three people with personal care.
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 received medicines as prescribed, however this was not always well recorded and audits had not always been effective at identifying concerns. There was a lack of information regarding how people’s medicines should be taken, but staff knew people well and were able to administer their medicines as prescribed. We made a recommendation that the provider review and update their medicines processes.
Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were not always completed appropriately. Risk assessments relating to specific health conditions were either missing or not completed sufficiently. The provider had addressed these concerns before the end of the inspection. However, people were kept safe from harm because staff knew them well and people were able to communicate their needs to staff.
There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service through auditing, however these were not always effective at identifying concerns found at this inspection. The provider and registered manager were responsive to concerns raised during the inspection. There was positive feedback about the management team and how they responded to concerns from staff and people.
There were good working relationships with a variety of healthcare professionals to ensure the best outcomes for people. However, there were some improvements needed in the recording of this information.
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’s independence was truly respected and promoted. People felt staff supported them to have a good quality of life.
People told us they had good relationships with the staff that supported them. People were treated with dignity and respect. Staff supported people to express their views about the service and their care. People were supported by a consistent staff team who knew them well.
People told us the service was person-centred. There was a complaints procedure and any received were investigated and responded to. People’s communication needs were recorded, and staff supported people day to day in ways that met their needs.
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
This service was registered with us on 01/04/2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection for this newly registered service.
Enforcement
At this inspection we have identified a breach in relation to governance processes at the service.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will arrange to meet with the provider to seek assurances about concerns raised at this inspection. 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.