About the service:

Elite Homecare is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, 29 people were using the service. Not everyone using the service receives 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 consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service had a new management team in place. The new manager had a number of plans to improve the quality of service delivery. This included changes to care records, staff induction and training and governance.

There were systems in place to support the safe recruitment of staff which included references and checks with the disclosure and barring service (DBS).

Staff received the training and support they needed to undertake their role. People said staff knew how to support them appropriately and were well trained.

People and relatives told us staff were respectful and ensured people had their dignity and privacy maintained. People were encouraged to be independent and do as much as they could for themselves.

People and staff told us that there was continuity of care. This meant that people were being supported by staff who knew them well. The manager told us that continuity of care was a priority for the service.

Care records contained the essential information to guide staff on how to support people. The manager was in the process of changing care records and the new paperwork demonstrated care plans would be more person-centred and detailed.

Care records contained information about people’s interests and hobbies. Cultural and religious preferences were considered and detailed within records.

The provider was committed to using information from accidents, incidents, safeguarding, concerns and complaints to drive improvement within the service. This work was ongoing.

Rating at last inspection:

This was the first inspection of the service at this registered location where care is co-ordinated for people living in Stockport. The service was previously registered at a different address where it co-ordinated care for people living in Oldham and Stockport. At that inspection the service was rated as requires improvement (19 September 2017).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection in line with CQC’s guidelines to inspect all newly registered services within 12 months of registration.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through information we receive and inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for services rated good overall.

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