Background to this inspection
Updated
3 August 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 consisted of one inspector.
Service and service type
Surecare Redbridge & Epping Forest is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of inspection. The registered provider was in the process of applying to become the registered manager.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection site visit started 15 June 2019 and ended on 24 June 2019. We visited the office location on 17 June 2019.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered provider of the service who was managing the service and is referred to in this report as the manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care plans and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with one person and two relatives of people who used the service, three care staff and one professional.
Updated
3 August 2019
About the service
Surecare Redbridge & Epping Forest is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. It is a new service with plans for growth and development. At the time of inspection there were three people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received care from regular staff who were appropriately trained. People and their relatives told us staff never missed calls and arrived on time. If they were going to be late for any reason, they telephoned. One person told us, “Usually it is the same person who has been scheduled to attend.” This provided continuity of care which people and their relatives appreciated.
Staff carried photographic identification badges and wore uniform, so people were confident who was visiting. Safe staff recruitment practices were followed, and staff received appropriate induction training when they joined the service. Continued learning and development, through the provision of on-line training and refresher courses were available to staff. People and their relatives told us, “Staff are skilful” and, “Super care with attention to detail.”
People and their relatives knew the provider and were confident in the management of the service. One relative said, “I felt very comfortable with the manager at the initial assessment.” Care plans identified person-centred care and medicines were given as prescribed.
People told us that staff followed infection control procedures. Staff had received training in infection control and staff confirmed they had the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and aprons, to carry out their work safely.
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.
Staff told us that they felt supported by the manager and were confident that if they had any concerns, the manager would take the necessary action. People and relatives were provided with information on how to make a complaint and systems were in place to respond appropriately.
The manager was hands-on, working alongside staff which provided oversight of the service. Audits were in place to monitor the quality of the care provision.
We have made a recommendation that the manager seeks best practice in the developing, formalising and recording of staff supervisions and meetings.
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on 13 June 2018 and this is the first 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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk