Absolute Quality Care

Updated 21 May 2019

The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

Inspection team: Consisted of one inspector, an assistant inspector and one 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; this Expert by Experience had knowledge of older people.

Service and service type: Absolute Quality Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides care to people living in their own homes.

The service had a manager registered (who was also the provider) with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection: We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we wanted to visit and telephone people in their homes and needed to give them notice and receive their consent. We visited the office location on 12 and 18 March 2019. We visited people in their homes on 14 and 19 March; and telephoned them on 12 March 2019; which also included contact with some of their relatives.

What we did: Before the inspection we looked at information received from the service, including incidents received. We reviewed the information the provider sent us in their last Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us, for example what works well, and improvements planned. We contacted the local authority and Healthwatch. Any comments received supported the planning and judgements of this inspection.

During the inspection we telephoned nine people and four relatives and visited six people with three of their relatives. We spoke with the provider/registered manager, deputy manager and two team coordinators/quality officers. We contacted 14 support staff. We also contacted, district nursing teams, occupational therapists, a social worker, two care managers and an advocate involved with one person.

We looked at eight people’s care and medicines records. We also looked at records relating to the management and quality assurance of the service and four staff records.

After inspection: The registered manager sent us further information which we had requested.

Updated 21 May 2019

About the service: Absolute Quality Care provides personal care to people with a range of health issues in their own homes. At the time of the inspection 77 people were provided with care and support.

People’s experience of using this service: Staff continued to be good at caring for people and demonstrated a visible person-centred culture. People and their relatives were complimentary about the care provided by staff and said they were kind and compassionate.

Privacy was maintained, and people were treated with dignity and respect. There was evidence to show people’s independence was maintained. Wishes, preferences and what was important to people were recorded and followed by staff when care was delivered.

There were enough staff to support people and the provider tried to ensure continuity was maintained whenever possible. Safe recruitment procedures continued. Induction and training was provided to ensure staff had appropriate skills. A small number of staff said they sometimes felt undervalued; the provider was looking into this. Although processes were in place for staff to receive support, this had not always occurred formally. We have made a recommendation and will follow this up.

People said they were safe with care staff visiting them and knew how to raise a complaint if needed. Staff could explain how to report any concerns they had. Risks to people had been assessed and staff had a good understanding of these risks and how to minimise them.

Medicines were generally managed well. Issues we found were addressed immediately. The provider was in the process of implementing new procedures and this needed to be embedded.

People’s nutritional needs were met, and people were happy with the support they received to enjoy a choice of meals and maintain a healthy diet. Partnership working with other healthcare professionals was proactive and positive.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and were supported in the least restrictive way possible.

People and relatives spoke positively about the provider, staff and the service provided. The provider monitored the quality and safety of the service through regular checks and audits and these were in the process of being reviewed.

The provider remained rated as good overall as they provided good quality care to the people they supported.

For more details, please see the full report below and which is also on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection: Good (Report published on 6 October 2016).

Why we inspected: The inspection was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.