Background to this inspection
Updated
11 June 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 and an Expert by Experience undertook telephone interviews with people who used the service and relatives. 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 houses and flats.
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 we needed the provider to inform people and seek their consent to be contacted and we wanted the registered manager to be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 19 May 2022 and ended on 20 May 2022. We visited the location’s office on 19 May 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on 16 March 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements.
During the inspection
We spoke with 11 people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the director, registered manager, business manager and a care coordinator. We also received feedback by email from nine care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
11 June 2022
About the service
Metro Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to mostly older people living in their own homes. It also supports some adults who are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people using the service.
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 consulted in all aspects of their care and support and their choices were respected.
People’s healthcare and nutritional needs were assessed and met.
People who used the service and their relatives were happy with the service they received. People said the staff were kind, caring and respectful and they had developed good relationships with them.
Risks to people’s health and safety had been identified and assessed. Risk assessments contained guidelines for staff about how to reduce risk and support people to remain safe. Initial assessments contained the correct and necessary information so staff would know how to meet people’s individual needs.
The provider had systems in place for the safe management of medicines and people received their medicines safely and as prescribed.
Care plans were detailed and person-centred. They contained enough information for staff to know people’s individual needs and choices.
The provider had improved their monitoring systems and had made improvements where needed.
Staff were happy and felt well supported. They enjoyed their work and spoke positively about the people they cared for. They received the training, support and information they needed to provide effective care. The provider had robust procedures for recruiting and inducting staff to help ensure only suitable staff were employed.
The provider worked with other professionals to help make sure people had access to health care services.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 17 December 2020) and there were breaches of regulation. 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 inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.