Background to this inspection
Updated
15 July 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.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. An Expert by Experience made phones calls to relatives of people who used the service. 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. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
This service also provides care and support to people living in three ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
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 was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was 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 21 June 2022 and ended on 22 June 2022. We visited the location’s office on 21 June 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We looked at all the information we held about the service.
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.
We used the information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on 18 March 2022 to help plan the inspection and form our judgements.
We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We met with two people who used the service and five members of staff. This included office and care staff. We spoke with two relatives of people who used the service and a further three care staff by phone.
We looked at a variety of records including, minutes of staff meetings, three people’s risk assessments, two staff files and quality assurance audits.
The registered manager and nominated individual were available throughout the inspection. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
Updated
15 July 2022
About the service
Thornhill Care Services provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. This included people who had a learning disability and mental health needs. Some people using the service were living in supported living houses. At the time of our inspection 10 people were receiving the regulated activity – personal care.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were happy with the care and support they received. Relatives said they would recommend the agency.
People received care from staff and an organisation who were committed to providing high quality care and support to people. There were systems in place to monitor standards and constantly look at ways to improve.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
Based on our review of key questions safe and well led the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right Support
People were supported to have maximum choice, control and independence. People and/or their representatives were involved in decisions about their care and support.
Staff supported people in their own homes and promoted their independence and choice.
People were supported by small staff teams who knew them well. People were comfortable with the staff who provided their care.
Right Care
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff knew people well which enabled them to provide person-centred care in accordance with people’s wishes and preferences.
People received care which met their individual needs. Staff worked with other professionals to make sure people received the right care and treatment.
People were supported to access their local area safely.
Right Culture
People were supported by a registered manager and provider who worked hard to promote a culture where people were valued and respected as individuals.
The registered manager and provider were open and transparent and took action to make sure people were protected from avoidable harm.
People were cared for by staff who felt valued by the organisation and supported by the registered manager.
Communication between staff was good which meant people received care and support in accordance with their up to date wishes and needs.
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 good (report published 16 June 2019)
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.
This was a focussed inspection which only looked at the key questions safe and well led. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
The overall rating for the service has not changed based on the findings of this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Thornhill Care Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.