Healthy Homecare Services Ltd

We also assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

At the time of the assessment, the service was not supporting any autistic people or people with a learning disability, but the provider had regard to ‘Right support, right care, right culture.

The service delivered care that is safe, person centred and respectful, with staff who knew people well and act promptly when concerns were raised. People and relatives consistently described staff as kind, supportive and attentive and daily records demonstrated safe delivery of care in line with individual plans. Staff were confident in safeguarding, understood their responsibilities and acted appropriately when concerns were identified, with all incidents recorded and escalated when required. Safeguarding training was up to date, and staff demonstrated a strong understanding of people’s rights and the Mental Capacity Act.

There were areas where improvements were required. The service operated in the Lincolnshire area while also providing care to people in Southampton, meaning the registered manager had responsibility for two distant services that were not within a manageable distance for effective oversight of staff and client welfare. The registered manager agreed to register another location in Southampton.

In general, the team provided good quality care across most areas. Care plans contained detailed information about people’s routines, preferences and risks, though some were not updated in line with the provider’s policy. The manager agreed to address this immediately.

Medicines were administered safely, with no missed doses or gaps in recording charts, though overdue tasks on the electronic system indicated that audit processes required tighter oversight. Staffing levels were appropriate, recruitment files were complete and training compliance was in place.

Governance systems were in place, but some audits particularly medicines and care plan checks were not completed as frequently as required. This had not resulted in harm but meant some records did not fully reflect people’s current care. The provider was aware of the improvements needed and took immediate action when issues were identified. The provider showed a commitment to safety, dignity and respectful care, with staff who enabled people to remain independent and in control of their daily routines.