Background to this inspection
Updated
10 December 2021
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 completed by an inspector 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 houses and flats.
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 short 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 10 November 2021 and ended on 22 November 2021. We visited the office location on 10 November 2021.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
We reviewed information we had received about the service since they had registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service.
During the inspection-
We spoke with the registered manager and two senior care workers during the office visit. We spoke with eight staff via phone calls. We spoke with eight people who used the service and six relatives of people using the service. We reviewed two staff recruitment and training files. We also looked at three care plans and associated risk assessments. 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. We asked for feedback from four professionals and received a response from two.
Updated
10 December 2021
About the service
Homecare Preferred is a domiciliary care agency providing and support to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection they were providing care and support to 33 people in and around Newton Abbott area.
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 positive about their experience of using Homecare Preferred. People said they were responsive to their needs, were kind and caring and understood individuals needs. One person commented, “The Carers will often pick up something on the way to me if I need them to. They are very kind and seem to understand me. They certainly now get my dry sense of humour as I enjoy some banter.” Several people also commented on how responsive the carers were on ensuring healthcare needs were being met. One person told us “They (Carers) know I suffer with COPD and one day they said they were really not happy with my breathing and called the GP who called out a Paramedic for me. I probably wouldn’t have, so I appreciate that.”
People confirmed they felt safe and well cared for. Several people talked about how staff went the extra mile and did additional things to help. One person for example, said, “They are always asking if there is anything else they can do to make me more comfortable. I have never been so well looked after.”
Relatives said the service was supportive and communicated well with them. People and relatives said they were aware of how to make any concerns known, that there was good communication from both the visiting care staff and the office staff. Some relatives were particularly impressed with the flexible and responsive approach the service took in providing care and support to their loved ones. One said, “The Carers do whatever they can to make things easier for us both. Two of them got hold of the hospital transport number when Mum had an appointment for a check-up and then one of them went with her. They were there six hours. I couldn’t have done that.”
Individuals needs were fully assessed prior to a service starting so that risks and preferred routines were included as part of their overall care plan. Environmental risk assessments were also completed to ensure staff could deliver support in a safe environment.
People were supported to take their medicines safely and where needed support was given to help people maintain good nutrition and hydration. Again, people praised the flexible approach cared staff took. We heard one example of where a care staff bought fish and chips and ate with the person to encourage them to eat.
There was sufficient staff with the right skills and support to meet the needs of the people the service currently supports. Staff recruitment was robust, and staff undertook an induction process of training and shadowing more experienced staff until they were confident to do the role themselves. Staff confirmed they were supported to do their job safely and effectively. One said, “I feel the Agency is very professional, induction and training was external and very in depth, unlike some. We email regularly regarding changes, medicines, safeguarding etc and records are updated quickly.”
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.
Systems and processes were in place to review the quality of care and support provided. This included seeking the view of people using the service as well as the staff team. Staff said they felt valued and their views were listened to. Staff and people spoke highly about the open and inclusive approach the registered manager and senior team took.
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 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the fact the service had been registered for over 12 months and had not yet been rated.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
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.