Background to this inspection
Updated
17 January 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 carried out an announced inspection on 14 December 2016. 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.
We gave the registered provider 48 hours' notice of our intention to undertake an inspection. This was because the organisation provides a domiciliary care service to people in their own home and we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office.
The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). 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 we held about the service and the provider. We asked the local authority if they had any information to share with us about the care provided by the service.
We spoke with three people who used the service, four relatives who advocated for people who were unable to talk with us. We spoke with five care staff, the operations and governance manager, the area manager and the manager who was running the agency. We looked at three care plans, three staff files and quality audits.
Updated
17 January 2017
This inspection was announced and took place on 14 December 2016.
Radfield Home Care [Staffordshire] provides personal care for people in their own home. At this inspection they were providing care and support for 65 people.
There has not been a registered manager in post since October 2016. The provider had recently appointed a manager to run the agency. 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 felt safe with the service they received and staff knew how to protect them from the risk of potential abuse. People were protected from the risks of accidents because staff were aware of their responsibility of identifying risks and to avoid them happening. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who assisted them to take their prescribed medicines safely.
People were supported by skilled staff who received regular one to one [supervision] sessions. People were able to make their own decisions and staff respected this. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts and arrangements were in place to assist them to access health care services when needed.
People were cared for by staff who were kind and sympathetic to their needs. People were involved in planning their care and staff were aware of their care and support needs. People’s right to privacy and dignity was respected by staff.
People’s involvement in their care assessment ensured they received a service the way they preferred. People could be confident their concerns would be listened to and acted on.
People’s views about the service were explored by the provider and the provider’s governance was effective in driving improvements. The agency was run by a manager who supported the staff team to provide a safe and effective service.