Evelyn Grace Ltd

Updated 2 December 2017

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.

We have not inspected the service at this location although it had been inspected at its previous location prior to a change of address and service name.

This inspection took place on 17 October 2017 and was announced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector supported by an expert by experience. The expert by experience carried out telephone surveys of a sample of seven people receiving support, three relatives and five staff. 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 was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available to assist with the inspection

The service had submitted a provider information return (PIR), in June 2017. 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. We looked at the information provided in the PIR and used this to help us plan the inspection.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed all the current information we held about the service. This included any notifications that we received. Notifications are reports of events the provider is required by law to inform us about. We contacted representatives of the local authority who funded people supported by the service, for their feedback.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager. We examined a sample of four care plans and other documents relating to people’s care. We looked at a sample of other records to do with the operation of the service, including four recent recruitment records, training and supervision records and medicines recording.

Updated 2 December 2017

This inspection took place on 17 October 2017. We gave short notice of the inspection to ensure the registered manager would be available to assist us. This was the first inspection of the service at its current location.

Evelyn Grace Ltd. is a domiciliary care agency which was providing personal care support to 45 people living in their own homes.

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 service had provided very effective care and support to people, and often to their families as well. An exemplary level of advocacy support was provided to ensure people’s specialist healthcare needs were met in a holistic way.

People, relatives and external care and health professionals praised all aspects of the support provided by the management and staff. Staff were viewed as very caring and professional and the service as very responsive to changes in people’s needs or wishes.

People and relatives all said people were safe when being supported by the service. Staff understood how to keep people safe. They knew how to report any concerns and were confident these would be addressed by management.

People’s rights were protected and staff treated people respectfully and looked after their dignity. People and their representatives were at the centre of planning people’s care which was delivered in ways which involved and empowered them. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service support this practice.

The service was very well led and the management team had effective governance systems in place to monitor its operation. The views of people, relatives and professionals were sought and acted upon to maintain and improve the service.

A robust recruitment process was used to ensure the quality of staff employed. Staff received a thorough induction and training and were supported to develop their knowledge and skills through regular observations and annual appraisal.