Caritas Care Solutions

Updated 15 December 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

This was a targeted inspection to check on concerns about recruitment.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there were 2 registered managers in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave a short period notice of the inspection because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 31 October 2022 and ended on 3 November 2022. We visited the location’s office on 31 October 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people and 7 relatives about their experience of the care provided from the services. We received email feedback from 35 members of staff. We reviewed records relating to staff recruitment, rota systems and a variety of records in relation to the management of staff.

Updated 15 December 2022

This inspection took place on 28 and 29 August 2018. We announced the inspection to ensure that someone was available to speak with us during the inspection. The provider also had time to speak with people and gain their consent for us to visit them in their home.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides the regulated activity personal care and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. This includes support with activities such as washing and dressing, the provision of meals and the provider also had individual arrangements in place to support people with their medicines where necessary. It provides a service to older people, younger adults, people with sensory impairment, physical disability, dementia and learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. At the time of this inspection the provider was not supporting any people with learning disabilities.

Not everyone who used Caritas Care Solutions Limited received a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care' or help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection 29 people were receiving a service, and 28 of those received a regulated activity.

The registered manager had been in post since 7 September 2016. 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.

Staff were fully supported in their role. The registered manager had ensured staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.

Manager's audits used to maintain and improve standards in the home were always dated and regularly completed to drive improvements across the service. Action plans were in place and had been followed up to address the areas identified as requiring improvements to be made.

Records had been updated and regularly reviewed so that information for staff was current and reflective of people’s needs. Staff had access to records via their handheld devices when providing care to people in their homes. In addition, paper documentation was available should they need to check or reference anything.

Quality assurance checks had identified and driven improvements across the service since our last inspection.

Staff had received additional training and the registered manager had regularly checked staff knowledge and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act.

People told us that staff arrived on time. If staff were running late people received a call from the office staff to inform them. All the people and their relatives we spoke with were happy with the service and felt staff knew their needs well.

Staff could describe the different types of potential abuse and knew how to report any incidents of abuse or potential abuse. The provider had ensured that notifications were sent to CQC in line with their registration requirements.

Policies were in place to support the safe administration, storage and disposal of medicines. Where people received support with their medicines, these were administered and recorded appropriately and regular spot checks were completed.

Recruitment procedures included appropriate checks to ensure prospective staff were of suitable character to work in a care setting and had the right to work in the UK.

Training records showed that staff had completed induction training and shadowed an experienced member of staff to observe and learn about the duties expected of them before being approved as competent to work alone. Refresher training was completed and scheduled for all staff.

People and their relatives told us that staff were kind, conscientious and caring towards them. Some staff had listened to people’s aspirations and supported them to achieve their goals.

A complaints policy was in place and records showed the provider had managed issues and concerns in line with their company policy.

The registered manager visited people and their relatives to obtain their feedback about the service. In addition, annual surveys were sent for people to complete. The provider was keen to ensure everyone’s views were taken on board so their experiences could be enhanced where it was possible.