Helping Hands Lincoln

Updated 25 January 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 two inspectors and an 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 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.

Inspection activity started on 13 December 2021 and ended on 20 December 2021. We visited the office location on 13 December 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 11 people who use the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, office support staff and carers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 25 January 2022

About the service

Helping Hands Lincoln is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people in their own homes. The office is in the centre of Lincoln City. At the time of inspection, 67 people were using the service. 50 people were receiving a regulated activity.

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 and their families said they felt safe, having carers supporting them in their own home. People said the service had supported them to be independent and remain living at home.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. People always received their care calls and were contacted if staff were going to be late. Staff had been recruited safely. Staff had received training in safeguarding and was aware of their responsibilities to report concerns to the local authority. Staff ensured they kept people safe from the risk of infection by wearing appropriate PPE and following infection control practices.

Peoples care needs, risks associated with their care and environmental risks had been assessed and mitigated. Where people needed support with their medicines it was done so safely by suitably trained and competent staff.

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.

New staff to the service received an induction period, with training and shadow shifts with experienced staff.

Where needed staff supported people to maintain a balanced diet. Staff supported people to access health care when required. Including contacting peoples GP and district nurses.

People and their families said that they were treated with dignity and respect by friendly caring staff. People said they were involved in the planning of their care, that assessments carried out prior to receiving care were thorough.

At the time of the inspection nobody was receiving end of life care. However, staff are trained to support people when needed.

Staff said that they felt supported by the registered manager and the office team. They received regular supervision. There is a duty on call to support carers out of hours.

People and their relatives knew who the registered manager was, they said that the registered manager was approachable and acted when issues were raised.

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

This service was registered with us on 11/06/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.