This inspection took place on 26 February 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the provider and staff did not know we would be visiting.This service provides care to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service.
Darlington Extra Care Services provides care to people living in their own flats within four extra care sites across Darlington. The service also provided a rapid response service to offer support to people for a 48 hour period on return from hospital or to prevent admission into hospital. On the day of our inspection there were 113 people using the service.
The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.
We last inspected the service in January 2016 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against.
People told us they felt safe with the staff from Darlington Extra Care Services. We saw that concerns were listened to and acted on straight away by the management team.
The registered manager and team leaders understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had received training in the protection of vulnerable adults.
The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place. Any staff absences were covered by the provider’s own permanent staff or bank employees. People who used the service and their family members said staff usually arrived on time and stayed for the agreed length of time.
Accidents and incidents had been appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place for people who used the service and staff. The service demonstrated it learnt from accidents, incidents and safeguarding issues and shared this learning with the staff team to drive improvements.
There was a safe system in place for the management of medicines and medicines administration records were completed accurately.
Staff were suitably trained and training was arranged for any due refresher training. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.
The provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. We saw that the management team and staff were committed to supporting people to remain in their own homes with support and worked with district nurses, G.P’s, occupational therapy, physiotherapists and other specialist services as and when needed.
People who used the service and family members we spoke with were complimentary about the standard of care provided by the staff at Darlington Extra Care Services. People said their privacy and dignity were respected and they enjoyed positive relationships with the care staff.
Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and care plans were written in a person centred way.
People who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.
Staff told us they were supported by the registered manager and team leaders and were comfortable raising any concerns. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service. People and family members told us the management and office staff were approachable.
The service had recently won an award in the Great British Care Awards for best regional care team and one of the team leaders had been awarded a home care front line leader award in 2017.