Utopia Social Care

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own in their own homes within the community. It provides a service to people living within the St Helens, Halton, Liverpool and Knowsley areas.

Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection seven people using the service were in receipt of personal care.

A registered manager was in post. 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.

This was the first inspection of the service that was registered in August 2017.

People and their family members felt that the service they received was safe.

Policies and procedures were in place in relation to safeguarding people from abuse.

People's care planning documents considered risks to people and plans were in place to minimise these risks.

Recruitment practices helped ensure that only people suitable to work with vulnerable people were employed by the service.

Systems were in place to support people with their medicines safely when required. Detailed information was available when a person was prescribed medicines on an as and when basis.

Procedures and practices were in place to support people to have choice in their lives. We saw that policies and guidance were available to staff in relation to the Mental Capacity Act.

People were supported with their eating and drinking needs when needed and staff were aware of people's personal likes and dislikes in relation to what they ate.

People told us that the staff were caring, supportive and respectful. Staff received regular support and training to keep up to date with best practice.

People had access to and were aware of the services complaints procedure. A system was in place to manage and monitor complaints about the service.

People told us their care and support was delivered by the same members of staff most of the time, which enabled them to get to know them well.

People were regularly asked if they were receiving the care and support they required.

People told us their privacy and dignity was protected and promoted.

Policies and procedures were in place to offer guidance and direction in best practice to staff delivering the service.

Systems and audits were in place to regularly check that people were receiving the care and support they required.

A comprehensive electronic system was in place to plan and monitor staff working patterns and record information about people who used the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found