Background to this inspection
Updated
16 May 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
The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector
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 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.
Inspection activity started on 19 April 2023 and ended on 26 April 2023. We visited the location’s office on 19 April 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we held about the service and we used this information to plan our inspection. 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.
During the inspection
We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 3 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We received feedback from 11 members of staff including the registered manager and care staff and from 2 healthcare professionals who had contact with the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care records, 3 staff files in relation to recruitment and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.
Updated
16 May 2023
About the service
Trix Medcare Limited Southend Branch is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 20 people receiving personal care support.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported by a small and consistent staff team who understood how they liked to be supported. Staff arrived at the agreed time and the provider ensured people were contacted if there was any delay. Staff were safely recruited and received an induction and relevant training when starting in their role.
The provider had systems in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and documented. People were supported to take their medicines appropriately and the provider ensured staff were trained and competent to administer medicines. Staff had access to personal protective equipment [PPE] and had received infection prevention and control training.
People and relatives spoke positively about the kind and caring attitude of staff. People’s care was personalised and reflected their individual preferences. 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 they felt supported and valued by the management team and were able to discuss any issues. People and relatives told us the registered manager was approachable and they were confident any concerns raised would be acted upon promptly.
The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and worked in partnership with other healthcare professionals in order to support people’s needs.
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 20 February 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection as the service had not been rated since its registration.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.