About the service:

Green Care Contracts Limited provides personal care for people living at home. At the time of our inspection there were 9 people receiving personal care.

People’s experience of using this service:

People received care from regular staff who were appropriately trained. This continuity of care was appreciated by the people. Feedback from people and relatives we spoke to told us that staff always visited and had never missed a call. On a few occasions staff had arrived later than planned, but the people were always informed of this, and felt reassured that care staff would attend.

People confirmed that staff carried identification and wore uniform, so they were confident in who was visiting. People told us they were treated with dignity, were spoken with in a respectful way and the staff were kind.

People and relatives knew the registered manager and were confident in the management of the service. People received a comprehensive Service User Handbook with details about the service they could expect to receive. People were provided with information on how to make a complaint and systems were in place to respond appropriately.

People confirmed the registered manager visited them for the initial care assessment and the regular reviews of their care. People told us they were involved in their care planning and discussed their needs, which made the care person-centred. The registered manager was hands-on, working alongside staff to observe and monitor the care provided, with spot checks to ensure standards were maintained.

Staff received regularly supervision and met as a group for staff meetings. Staff were positive about the training and the support received from the registered manager. Staff told us they enjoyed working for the service.

Feedback from an external professional was positive, stating that communication with the service was good and referrals were made in a timely manner.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 4 October 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per out re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner

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

Green Care Contracts Limited provides personal care for people living at home in Harlow. At the time of our inspection there were 13 people receiving personal care. This announced inspection took place on 5 October 2016.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The manager had values and a clear vision that was person centred and focussed on enabling people to live at home. All staff demonstrated a commitment to providing a service for people that met their individual needs. People had positive relationships with staff.

People were actively involved in decisions about their care and support needs. There were formal systems in place to assess people’s capacity for decision making under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff provided people with information to enable them to make an informed decision and encouraged people to make their own choices.

People received safe care and support. Staff understood their role in safeguarding people and they knew how to report concerns. There were enough staff with the right skills and attitudes to meet people’s needs.

Staff had a full understanding of people’s support needs and had the skills and knowledge to meet them. Training records were up to date and staff received regular supervisions and appraisals. Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities in caring for people and received regular support from the provider.

Care records contained risk assessments and risk management plans to protect people from identified risks. They gave information for staff on the identified risk and informed staff on the measures required to minimise any risks. Staff were vigilant regarding people’s changing health needs and sought guidance from relevant healthcare professionals.

Staff were aware of the importance of managing complaints promptly and in line with the provider’s policy. Staff and people were confident that if they had any concerns they would be listened to and any concerns would be addressed.

The provider monitored the quality and safety of the service and staff regularly monitored the support people received. People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about the service and it was used to drive continuous improvement.