RSM Care Services

Updated 19 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. At the time of the inspection, the services provided personal care to adults living in their own homes.

The service did not have a manager registered with the CQC. The previous registered manager had left. There was a manager in place who was in the process of registering with the CQC. 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.

Notice of inspection

Our inspection was announced. We gave the provider 72 hours’ notice as we needed to be sure that the provider or a manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did

Before the inspection, we reviewed relevant information that we had about the service. The service completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what it does well and any improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection, we spoke with the manager and provider. We reviewed documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the service. We reviewed care plans, which included risk assessments and staff files, which included pre-employment checks. We looked at other documents such as training and quality assurance records.

After the inspection, we spoke with five people who used the service, four relatives and five staff for their feedback about the service.

Updated 19 July 2019

About the service

This service is a domiciliary care agency and is based in the London Borough of Redbridge. The service provided personal care to adults and in their own homes. The CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; 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 our inspection, the service provided personal care to 19 people.

People’s experience of using this service

Since our last inspection on 1 May 2018, staff had completed essential training to perform their roles effectively. However, induction processes were not robust as some people raised concerns about new staff members understanding of people’s needs. We made a recommendation in this area.

Since our last inspection, improvements had been made on risk assessments. Care plans contained suitable and sufficient risk assessments to effectively manage risks and keep people safe.

Pre-employment checks had been carried out to ensure staff were suitable to support people. Some people raised concerns with timekeeping. However, arrangements were being put in place to ensure staff attended visits on time. Safeguarding procedures were in place to ensure people were safe.

Care plans were person centred and included people’s support needs. Care plans had been reviewed regularly to ensure they were accurate.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received care from staff who were kind and compassionate. Staff treated people with dignity and respected their privacy. Staff had developed positive relationships with the people they supported. They understood people’s needs, preferences, and what was important to them.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 7 June 2018). We identified four breaches of Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 relating to risk assessments, need for consent, training and good governance.

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection, we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.