Homecare Ipswich

Updated 24 February 2023

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

The inspection was undertaken by 1 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.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

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.

Inspection activity started on 14 February 2023 and ended on 15 February 2023. We visited the location’s office on 15 February 2023.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. 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 registered manager who is also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We spoke with 1 person who used the service and the relatives/representatives of 4 people. We received electronic feedback from 1 social care professional and 4 care workers.

We reviewed 3 people’s care records, including medicine administration records. We reviewed 3 staff member’s personnel files and records relating to the management of the service, including complaints, compliments, improvement plan and monitoring records.

Updated 24 February 2023

About the service

A1 Care Ipswich is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 7 people using the service. Everyone who used the service received personal care support. 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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

At the time of the inspection, the location did not care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support:

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 choices were listened to about how they wished to be cared for and supported at assessment and reviews. People’s care records included guidance for staff in how to meet people’s needs and ensure their consent was sought, choices respected, and independence promoted.

Right Care:

People received person centred care and their privacy, dignity and human rights were being met.

Right Culture:

The service was well-led, and the provider/registered manager was committed to providing good quality care. The registered manager monitored the service provided and valued people’s feedback. There was a complaints procedure in place and where concerns were raised, these were acted on. There was a service improvement in place which evidenced continuous improvement.

There were enough staff employed to cover people’s planned visits. Staff were recruited safely. Where people required support with their medicines this was documented and delivered in a safe way.

There were systems in place to reduce the risks of abuse and avoidable harm. Risk assessments and care plans guided staff in how people’s person-centred care needs were met, and risks mitigated.

Staff received training to meet people’s needs. Where people required support with their dietary, hydration and health needs this was assessed and documented.

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 13 January 2022 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This comprehensive inspection was undertaken because the service had not yet been inspected and rated since registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.