Background to this inspection
Updated
8 September 2021
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. There was a new manager in place, who was going through the registration process.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. 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. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with four people about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with two relatives of people using the service, two members of care staff, the care coordinator, and the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records, medication records, staff recruitment information, and audits.
Updated
8 September 2021
About the service
Abundant Life Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 17 people were using the service, all of which received personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Medication administration records (MAR) were not always accurately kept. We found that staff were supporting people with medicine administration but were not always recording the names or dosage of the medicines taken.
Safe recruitment practices of staff was not always in place. We found that disclosure and barring checks had been carried out before people were employed. However, when these checks showed previous criminal convictions, no action was taken by the provider to risk assess the employees suitability to work with adults.
The provider did not always seek two employment references when recruiting staff , to ensure the employee’s background was thoroughly checked.
Audits carried out were not always effective, and action was not always taken. The provider had failed to regularly audit and check certain areas of the service, and had not taken prompt and sufficient action when issues were found with MAR (medicines administration records) and recruitment.
Staff were sufficiently trained, but there was no clear oversight on all training records and when they might expire.
People told us they felt safely cared for. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and were confident in reporting any concerns. Risks were assessed and understood by staff.
Staffing levels were sufficient. There were enough trained staff within the service to ensure people’s planned care needs were met. People told us staff were generally on time.
People told us staff followed infection control procedures and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times during their care.
People’s needs were fully assessed and understood by staff. Care plans reflected people’s individual needs.
People’s food and drink preferences were detailed in care plans. Any dietary requirements were documented and observed by staff.
People had access to any healthcare appointments they needed, staff supported people in this area as required.
Staff treated people with respect and dignity, and feedback we received from people and relatives was positive about the care they received.
A complaints system was in place and people knew how to use it. Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect.
There was a registered manager in place and staff felt supported by them.
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.
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 last inspected on 15 November 2019 and was rated Good.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on current priorities for inspection.
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.