Archived: Better Healthcare Services (Ipswich)

Updated 5 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Two inspectors carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 29 September and 2 October 2017. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of our inspection to make sure that someone was available.

Before our inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at information we held about the service including notifications they had made to us about important events. We also reviewed all other information sent to us from other stakeholders, for example the local authority and members of the public.

We spoke with the manager, the regional manager, the field supervisor and received feedback from five care staff when we visited the service’s office. We reviewed the care records of five people who used the service and records relating to the management of the service, including the recruitment records of six staff.

Following our visit to the service, we spoke with three people who used the service and two people’s relatives.

Updated 5 December 2017

Better Healthcare Services (Ipswich) provides a personal care service for people living in their own homes. At the time of this announced inspection of 29 September 2017, there were ten people who used the service. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of our inspection to make sure that the manager was available to facilitate the inspection.

At our last inspection of 2 March 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

There was a manager in post at the time of our inspection, but they were not registered. They had submitted their application to become the registered manager and were awaiting their fit person interview. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The service continued to provide a safe service to people. This included systems designed to minimise the risks to people, including from abuse. There were enough staff to cover people’s planned care visits. Robust recruitment procedures were in place and contributed to protecting people from unsuitable staff. Where people required support with their medicines, this was done safely.

Staff were trained and supported to meet people’s needs. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff supported people to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff cared for them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Systems were in place to enable people to eat and drink enough, where they required help to do this. People were supported to have access to health professionals if they needed this support.

Care staff had good relationships with people who used the service. Staff listened to and acted upon people’s views about how they wanted to be supported.

People received care and support that was planned and delivered to meet their individual needs. A complaints procedure was in place and complaints were dealt with and used to improve the service.

There was an open and empowering culture throughout the service and quality assurance systems supported the management team to identify shortfalls and address them promptly. As a result, the quality of the service continued to improve.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.