Helping Hands Maidenhead & Windsor

Updated 8 February 2023

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

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and 1 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. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service a 48 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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. 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 all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection, we spoke with the registered manager, reviewed care files for 3 people,

3 staff files and a range of documents such as the provider's various policies, procedures and records relating to the management of the service. We spoke with 1 person and 5 relatives of people using the service. We received feedback on the quality of care provided to people from 6 members of staff.

Updated 8 February 2023

About the service

Helping Hands Maidenhead & Windsor is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes and flats. The service is registered to give support to people living with dementia, learning disabilities or autism, people with mental health needs, people with eating disorder, younger adults, older people, and people with physical disability and sensory impairment. 31 people were using the service at the time of our inspection. Not everyone using 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

At the time of the inspection, the service did not care for or support anyone with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Safeguarding policies and procedures were in place. Staff had received training and understood how to keep people safe and knew who to report to if they had any concerns. Care plans and risk assessments were in place to help reduce risks and promote safe care for people. Systems kept people safe from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. Risks of infection transmission, including COVID-19, were assessed and relevant action was taken to reduce these risks. Recruitment processes were followed to check whether staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. There were enough staff to meet people's needs.

Staff were provided with training relevant to people's health and care needs. People were assisted with relevant nutritional support where this was part of their care. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported provided them with care them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service promoted this practice.

People received care from friendly and caring staff. Staff understood how to promote people's independence and respect their privacy and dignity. People's equality and diversity needs were respected.

People received personalised care and their choices were respected so they retained control over their lives. Staff knew the people they cared for and provided responsive care. People were supported with any communication needs they may have. People were able to provide feedback or raise complaints which were listened and responded to.

The provider had quality assurance systems in place that included audits, analysis and spot checks that were used to drive improvements. People were complimentary about the way the managers and the office-based staff ran the service, and how accessible and approachable they all were. The provider promoted an open and inclusive culture which sought the views of people, their relatives and staff.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 10 October 2019 and this is its first inspection.

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.