Archived: Fountains Homecare

Updated 4 June 2016

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 Nominated individual 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 inspected Fountains Homecare on 18 May 2016. The registered provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service with the registered manager also providing care; we needed to be sure that someone would be at the registered office. At the time of our inspection visit the service provided care and support to five people and there were four care staff members employed.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service including notifications and complaints (of which there were zero). There were no concerns raised from the local authority service commissioners we spoke with.

The provider was not asked to complete 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 obtained information to contact people who used the service during the course of the inspection and sought people’s permission to consult with them.

During the inspection we contacted three people who used the service and two family carers. We also spoke with the registered manager and a support worker and a healthcare professional who worked with the service for one person’s needs. We looked at three people’s care records, two recruitment records for staff providing personal care, the training chart and training records, as well as records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 4 June 2016

Fountains Homecare is a domiciliary care service. It provides personal care for people living in their own homes in Hurworth, Darlington and surrounding areas. The service currently provides care and support to five people.

The service has a registered manager who is also the registered provider and they were involved directly in the running of the business and the provision of care. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered Nominated individuals, 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.

At our inspection in January 2015 we asked the provider to take action to make improvements in relation to staff supervision, staff recruitment and quality assurance and this action has been completed.

People were protected by the service’s approach to safeguarding and whistle blowing. People who used the service told us that they were safe, could raise concerns if they needed to and were listened to by staff. Staff were aware of safeguarding procedures, could describe what they would do if they thought somebody was being mistreated and said that management listened and acted upon staff feedback.

People we spoke with who received personal care felt the staff were knowledgeable, skilled and their care and support package met their needs. People who used the service told us that they had a small team of staff, who were reliable and arrived when expected. Staff confirmed that they were not rushed and had time to provide the care people expected.

Staff told us they were supported by their management and could get help and support if they needed it. Staff did receive supervision through observations and discussions that were recorded.

The service had systems to ensure staff were appropriately recruited, trained and supported. The service was introducing the Care Certificate for new staff and staff were being supported to achieve National Vocational Qualifications in health and social care.

The staff undertook the management of medicines safely and in line with people’s care plans. The service had health and safety related procedures, including systems for reporting and recording accidents and incidents. The care records we looked at included risk assessments, which had been completed to identify any risks associated with the person’s environment and delivering the person’s care.

People and staff told us when they raised any issues they were dealt with promptly and professionally and everyone we spoke with knew how to speak to the management team at the office if they had any concerns.

There were quality assurance systems in place to gain the views of people using the service and staff and the registered manager would discuss developments and issues together.

The service was an active part of the local community. We saw that the registered manager and staff were committed to supporting people to remain in their own homes with support and worked closely with local GP and district nursing services and other specialist services.