Archived: Homecomforts

Updated 18 December 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider 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.

This inspection took place on 27 November 2018 and was announced. We gave the service three working day’s notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the manager could contact people to inform them that they might receive a telephone call from us asking them for their views on the service.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector. An Expert by Experience spoke on the telephone ten people using 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.

We requested and reviewed a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. 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 also looked at the information we held about the service, which included notifications about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection we spoke with the manager and a care worker. We looked at two people's care records and one person’s medicine administration records (MAR).

We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service. These included two staff files, quality assurance audits, complaints and compliments. We also received feedback via email from five relatives, five care workers and six health and social care professionals. Two relatives had also completed a ‘Share your experience’ online form via the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website in 2018. This is where people can provide CQC with their views on a registered service.

Updated 18 December 2018

We inspected Homecomforts on 27 November 2018 and the inspection was announced.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community in Chinnor and the local surrounding areas. It provides a service to a range of people including, older adults some living with dementia, disabilities and sensory impairments. Not everyone using Homecomforts receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. On the day of the inspection the service was supporting 25 people.

The manager was the provider and registered as an individual and therefore, was not required to register as the manager.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good:

The service continued to provide safe care to people. People told us they felt safe receiving care from Homecomforts. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns to the manager or outside agencies.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. There were sufficient staff deployed who had the skills and knowledge to ensure people's needs were met. The provider had safe recruitment processes in place, these included completing checks to make sure new staff were safe to work with adults at risk.

People benefited from caring staff who showed kindness and compassion. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

People and their relatives were involved in their care and supported to remain independent.

Feedback on the service from health and social care professionals was positive. People were supported to maintain good health and were accompanied to appointments as and when required.

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

The service continued to be responsive. People received personalised care by staff who understood people's individual preferences. The service was flexible and supported people to attend social events and prevent social isolation.

There was a complaints policy and process in place and people regularly saw the manager so they could raise any issues with them.

The service continued to be well led. The service had systems to assess the quality of care the service provided. Learning was identified and action taken to make improvements which improved the service that people received.