Archived: Care with Care

Updated 7 March 2018

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

This inspection took place on 22 January 2018 and was announced. We told the provider three days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the management is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection team consisted of one 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.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider. The registered provider had not completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) as this had not been requested. 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 had not received any notifications from the provider. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law.

We undertook phone calls to six people who used the service and one relative. In addition we spoke with two care workers and the registered manager. We looked at three people’s care records and two staff files that included their recruitment, supervision and training records. We also viewed a range of records about how the service was managed. After the inspection we contacted a number of external professionals and commissioners to obtain their views about the service.

Updated 7 March 2018

We inspected Care with Care on 22 January 2018. This service is a domiciliary care agency (DCA). It provides personal care to older adults living in their own houses and flats in the community. The service operates in Eynsham and the surrounding areas and offers support between 7 am and 7 pm. At the time of our visit 18 people received personal care. Additional 10 people received additional support such as assistance with light housework or companionship.

At the last inspection in February 2016 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good overall.

People remained safe. People and their relatives told us people were safe. Staff knew how to escalate any safeguarding concerns. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed. People were supported by regular staff that knew them well and knew how to manage the risks associated with the care delivery.

People's needs were assessed prior to commencement of the service to ensure these could be met. Staff received training relevant to their roles and they were well supported. People’s care plans outlined their dietary preferences and staff assisted people with preparing their meals if required. People were supported to access health professionals appropriately.

The team promoted and open and honest approach and a positive culture. We found the provider had ways to monitor the quality of the service; however the evidence of this was not always available. The registered manager acknowledged concerns had not always been identified by their internal governance processes and told us they were going to address these issues promptly. There was a positive approach and responsiveness demonstrated from the management to address the concerns going forward. The service worked well with other professionals and services to ensure people were safe and had good support that met their needs.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and report on what we find. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the staff at the service supported this practice. People’s rights to make own decisions were respected.

The service remained caring. People complimented the positive approach demonstrated by the team. People were able to build positive working relationships with staff. Staff were enthusiastic and positive about their job and working with people. The team promoted individual approach that met people’s expectations and individual, diverse needs. People’s dignity, confidentiality and privacy were respected. People were supported by staff that knew them well.

People's care records outlined the support required. People told us the service met their needs and complimented the team’s responsiveness to people’s changing needs. The provider’s complaints policy was available to people and people knew how to raise concerns. People’s feedback was sought and acted upon if required.

There was a registered manager in post who was also the owner of the company. 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.