Archived: Homebased Care (UK) Ltd- Erdington

Updated 27 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, 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 24 and 29 January 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provided a domiciliary care service. The provider can often be out of the office supporting staff and we needed to ensure that someone 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, with an area of expertise in dementia care.

As part of the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We had received concerning information prior to the inspection about the financial stability of the service. We asked the local authority if they had any information to share with us about the service. The local authority is responsible for monitoring the quality and for funding some of the people receiving care support.

During the inspection we spoke with 12 people who received care by telephone. We also spoke with five relatives of people who received care. We spoke with the chief executive of Homebased care (UK) Ltd, the head of human resources, seven care staff and an administrator. We also looked at three staff recruitment files, complaints and compliments records and safeguarding incident records.

Updated 27 March 2018

At our last comprehensive inspection of this service on 31 March and 03 May 2017, we rated the service as ‘requires improvement.’ We found the provider to be in breach of Regulation 18 Registration Regulations 2009, because notifications of important events were not being made to CQC in a timely way. We asked the provider to complete an action plan to show us what they would do improve this and the action plan was received by us within the requested time frame.

After the inspection we received concerns in relation to the financial viability of the service. As a result we undertook a comprehensive inspection. This inspection was announced and took place on 24 and 29 January 2018. We gave the provider 48 hours’ of our intention to undertake the inspection. This was because the service provides domiciliary care to people in their own homes and we needed to make sure someone would be available at the office.

Homebased Care (UK) Ltd - Erdington is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. On the day of our inspection the service was providing personal care to 77 people.

At the time of our inspection a registered manager was showing on our records. However, during the inspection we found they had been left for over six months; therefore a registered manager was not in place and had not been notified to us as legally required. 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 service was being managed by the care manager until another branch manager moved across to the Erdington branch and registered with CQC.

People told us that staff frequently arrived late for calls and on occasions calls were missed. People told us they were reliant on staff and late and missed calls left them waiting for support; personal care and meals.

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe. Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and were clear about the steps they would need to take if they suspected someone was unsafe.

People told us they received their medicines as required and staff said they had received medication training to support people appropriately.

People told us regular staff knew them well and had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff told us they received the right training for the people they supported.

People said staff supported them by preparing a choice of meals and drinks to support their wellbeing. Staff understood they could only care for and support people who consented to being cared for.

People told us that although individual staff were caring they felt the service was not caring because they felt anxious and upset that staff were not being managed well and they were worried they would lose their support. Where people had regular members of staff they praised them and they had developed good relationships with staff who they said were caring. Staff treated people with privacy and dignity and respected people’s homes and belongings.

People told us they knew how to raise concerns but they felt these were not always listened to or action taken to resolve them. The provider had a system in place to deal with any written complaints. Written complaints received were logged and investigated.

People said the management of the service needed improving to ensure the correct management of staff and to ensure calls were made on time to meet their needs and by regular staff.

Relevant notifications had not been submitted to CQC where safeguarding reports had been referred to the local authority. CQC requires this information to look at the risks to people who use care services.

Governance systems were not effectual in ensuring that calls were made on time to meet people’s needs. There had been a period of change within the service that had impacted on the care provided. This was acknowledged by the provider who was looking at ways to take action going forward.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.