We carried out a review of the data available to us about Select Homecare Direct on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Select Homecare Direct, you can give feedback on this service.
Select Homecare Direct provides a domiciliary care service to people who live in their own homes. The registered manager and designated administrative staff are based at the agency's office. Select Homecare Direct is family run, the owner doesn’t have day to day input but any business decisions are referred to them. The service is classed as a small agency which means that it provides support with personal care to no more than 100 people. At the time of this inspection the agency was providing support with personal care to 42 people. They also provided a domestic and sitting service to people living in their own homes.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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 were supported by staff that were caring and treated them with dignity and respect. Staff understood the needs of the people they supported well and knew them as a person. All the feedback we received from people’s relatives and healthcare professionals was positive.
People’s care plans were consistent and had a person-centred approach to care planning. Staff supported people to maintain important relationships and continue personal hobbies and interests. Risks of abuse to people were minimised. Assessments of people’s needs identified known risks and risk management guidance was produced for staff. Although guidance in care plans and risk management plans do need to be more detailed.
People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. Staff understood their role and received appropriate training that supported them in their roles.
Staff worked together with a range of healthcare professionals to achieve positive outcomes for people. Staff followed professional advice to achieve this which included administering people’s medicines as prescribed.
Since 2016 onwards all organisations that provide publicly funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard [AIS]. The standard was introduced to make sure people are given information in a way they can understand. The registered manager was aware of the AIS and ensured information was shared in an accessible way.
People's concerns and complaints were listened and responded to. Accidents and incidents were reviewed. People and their relatives commented positively about the registered manager and the quality of care their family member received. Quality monitoring systems included regular audits to ensure people received good care.
The registered manager had ensured all relevant legal requirements, including registration and safety obligations, and the submission of notifications, had been complied with. The registered manager felt staff had a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This was evident to us throughout the inspection.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection (and update) The last rating for this service was good (published 20 June 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Select Homecare Direct provides personal care to people living in the areas of Highbridge, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Cheddar and surrounding villages. At the time of this inspection they were providing personal care for 50 people. They also provided a domestic service to people living in their own homes.
This was the first inspection of the service since they registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in June 2015. No concerns were identified during the registration process.
There is a registered manager in post. 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.
People were protected from abuse because the provider had systems in place to ensure checks of new staffs characters and suitability to work with vulnerable adults were carried out. Staff had also received training in protecting vulnerable people from abuse. People said they felt safe when being cared for; we observed people were happy and relaxed with the registered manager during our home visits.
People’s care needs were recorded and reviewed regularly, with the registered manager the person receiving the care or a relevant representative. All care plans included consent to the care provided. Care workers had comprehensive information and guidance in care plans to enable them to deliver consistent care the way people preferred. The agency used an electronic system to record care plans which was only available to the care worker visiting the person. Staff could access the care plan through their phone at any time and updates were recorded and relayed immediately. Staff told us they found the system very useful as they would be aware of people’s changing needs before they started their care visit.
People who received personal care and support from Select Homecare Direct told us they were happy with the service provided. They said the registered manager and staff were open and approachable, cared about their personal preferences and kept them involved in decision making around their care. One person said, “They are just brilliant I look forward to them coming. [The care worker] is such a ray of sunshine.”
People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had a clear knowledge and understanding of their personal needs, likes and dislikes. We observed the registered manager took time to talk with people during our home visits and listen to any suggestions they had. People told us they knew all the staff providing care and support for them and they had been able to build lasting relationships which meant they felt they could trust the care workers they met. This meant people experienced consistency in the way their care and support was provided.
People told us the agency was flexible in the way it provided care and support. People explained that they could change appointments to meet their lifestyle needs or to assist them during visits to the hospital or the doctor.
Staff monitored people’s health with their consent and could refer and direct to healthcare professionals as appropriate.
Select Homecare Directs’ statement of purpose (this is a document services must make available for people), stated the company’s intention was to, “provide a high standard of care and compassion for each and every service user.” The registered manager explained that they wanted to see people receive, “A high standard and quality of care, but did not want to lose sight of a family business providing a consistent level of care and support to people.” Staff spoken with shared the registered managers vision to provide a high standard of care to the people they supported.
There were systems in place to monitor the care provided and people’s views and opinions were sought through care reviews and an annual survey. Suggestions for change were listened to and actions taken where possible to improve the service provided. Any incidents and accidents would be monitored, trends identified and learning shared with staff to put into practice.