Archived: Horsham Home Care

Updated 8 February 2016

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on the 6 January 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hour’s notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to be sure that someone would be in the office to speak with us.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors 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.

The provider had 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.

Before the inspection we checked the information that we held about the service and the service provider. This included statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We used all this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.

During our inspection we spoke with seven people and seven relatives on the telephone who use the service, six care staff, the registered manager and a director. We observed staff working in the office dealing with issues and speaking with people who used the service over the telephone and staff.

We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and how the service was managed. These included the care records for six people, medicine administration record (MAR) sheets, five staff training, support and employment records, quality assurance audits, incident reports and records relating to the management of the service.

This is the first inspection of this service.

Updated 8 February 2016

We inspected Horsham Home Care on the 6 January 2016 and this was announced. The provider was given 48 hour’s notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to be sure that people would be in the office whom we needed to speak with.

Horsham Home Care provides personal care and support to people who wish to retain their independence and continue living in their own home. Personal care and support is provided for older people and people living with early stages of dementia. At the time of our inspection 30 people were receiving a care service.

The service had a registered manager. 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 experiences of people were positive. People told us they felt safe and staff were kind and the care they received was good. One person told us “Absolutely safe, very good. It’s not a problem to raise a concern”.

The experiences of people were positive. People and relatives told us they felt safe and staff were kind and the care they received was good. One person told us “I always feel safe with the staff that come to visit me, I cannot fault them”.

There were good systems and processes in place to keep people safe. Assessments of risk had been undertaken and there were instructions for staff on what action to take in order to mitigate them. Staff knew how to recognise the potential signs of abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. The registered manager made sure there was enough staff at all times to meet people’s needs. When the provider employed new staff at the service they followed safe recruitment practices.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s support needs and care plans were developed outlining how these needs were to be met. We found that care plans were detailed, which enabled staff to provide the individual care people needed. People told us they were involved in developing their care plans and were consulted about their care to ensure wishes and preferences were met. Staff worked with other healthcare professionals to obtain specialist advice about people’s care and treatment.

The provider had arrangements in place for the safe administration of medicines. People were supported to receive their medicine when they needed it. People were supported to maintain good health and had assistance to access health care services when needed.

The service considered peoples capacity using the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) as guidance. People’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed. Staff observed the key principles in their day to day work checking with people that they were happy for them to undertake care tasks before they proceeded.

People were supported at mealtimes to access food and drink of their choice and were supported to undertake activities away from their home. One person told us “Once a month they take me in to town for a big shop. My daughter does my food shopping on-line. I do my own meals”.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. Staff received regular training to ensure they had up to date information to undertake their roles and responsibilities. One member of staff told us “I had induction training before I started with my client and was able to shadow with an experienced worker, and they don’t send you out unless you are happy”.

There were clear lines of accountability. The service had good leadership and direction from the registered manager. Staff felt fully supported by management to undertake their roles. Staff were given training updates, supervision and development opportunities. For example staff were offered the oppurtunity to undertake additional training and development courses to increase their understanding of needs of people using the service.

Feedback was sought by the registered manager via surveys which were sent to people and their relatives. Survey results were positive and any issues identified acted upon. People and relatives we spoke with were aware of how to make a complaint and felt they would have no problem raising any issues. The provider responded to complaints in a timely manner with details of any action taken.