Innovate Complex Care Services

Updated 11 October 2023

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

One inspector and an Expert by Experience carried out this inspection. 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 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 was not a registered manager in post. The provider had recently recruited a manager to the service and their employment was due to begin in the following months.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ 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.

What we did before 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. 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 the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We spoke with 3 people and 8 relatives of people using the service. We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people’s care records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and the quality of the service were reviewed. We received feedback from 3 members of care staff.

Inspection activity started on 19 July 2023 and ended on 25 July 2023.

Updated 11 October 2023

About the service

Innovate Complex Care Services is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and treatment to children, young people and adults in their homes. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people using the service.

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

Assessments were completed to identify risks that impacted on people’s lives and well-being. Risk management plans were in place to provide staff with detailed and sufficient guidance on how to support people safely to reduce any risks.

Medicines were managed safely, and staff were trained to administer medicines to people. Medicine administration records (MARs) were completed when people were supported with the administration of medicines. Copies of MARs were audited on a regular basis and checked for accuracy.

Staff were recruited following safe processes and to ensure enough skilled staff were available to meet people’s needs. Staff understood what abuse was and had completed safeguarding training. There were processes in place to report any safeguarding concerns.

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 supported this practice.

Care assessments took place with people to identify the support required to meet their individual needs.

The manager routinely reviewed and monitored the service to ensure people received appropriate care. Care workers were routinely assessed to ensure they were safe to carry out their roles and to meet the provider’s standard of care.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 10 October 2020, and this is the first inspection.

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.