Melburay Ltd

Updated 14 April 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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector. A specialist professional advisor also reviewed some care plans which contained support with specialist procedures.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of Inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the 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 including complaints and notifications we received from the service. We used all 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

Inspection activity started on 3 March 2022 with a visit to the office location. We continued to analyse evidence and make calls to people until 11 March 2022. During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager and the care coordinator. We reviewed a range of records including care and support plans and electronic call monitoring (ECM) records for three people. We looked at records of recruitment, training and supervision for five members of staff.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with four care workers to get their feedback about the service. We also gathered feedback from relatives of people who were receiving care.

Updated 14 April 2022

About the service

Melburay Limited is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care to people living in their own homes. CQC only inspects where people receive support with personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection there were four children receiving personal care support.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Not all people understood how to make a complaint. We have made a recommendation about ensuring people understand the complaints policy. The provider had not produced information for or about people in accessible formats. We have made a recommendation about this.

Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified and effective measures put in place to mitigate these. Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures and knew how to report any concerns they had with people’s safety. The provider followed safe recruitment processes. There were safe infection control procedures to reduce the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

People’s health and social care needs were assessed, and plans put in place to meet these. Staff were given information and training about people’s medical conditions and health needs. People were supported in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff received induction, training and ongoing support to fulfil their role.

There were systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service. The provider had plans to further improve and develop the service.

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.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Improvements were required in relation to care plans and care records.

Right support:

• People told us they received the care and support they needed. However, care plans did not always contain sufficient detail about people’s care choices and preferences. Care records were not always person-centred. We have made a recommendation about making care plans and records person-centred.

Right Care:

• People told us the staff were kind and caring and knew them well. People were treated with dignity and respect and they were supported to learn and maintain daily living skills.

Right culture:

• People told us they received the care and support they needed, and managers regularly checked on them to make sure they were happy with their service.

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 24 April 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection to provide a rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.