We carried out a review of the data available to us about Fylde Domiciliary Service on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Fylde Domiciliary Service, you can give feedback on this service.
At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
Staff files contained evidence the registered manager had undertaken checks to reduce the risk of recruiting unsuitable staff. People and staff we spoke with said there were sufficient staffing numbers to meet people’s needs. Medicines were managed properly and safely.
People we spoke with and relatives told us staff involved them in support and care planning. The registered manager supported people to access advocacy services if people wanted someone independent to act on their behalf.
Care records we looked at were detailed and personalised to people’s requirements. We observed staff followed agreed support in practice. This ensured responsive care planning matched people’s ongoing needs.
The registered manager sought feedback about the quality of care and the development of the service. This was underpinned by ongoing checks on the quality of the service, to monitor everyone’s safety and welfare.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
The inspection took place on 15 and 21 January 2015. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a supported living service to people in their own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The service was last inspected in February 2014 where we found minor concerns with regard to how the provider assessed and monitored the quality of the service. During this inspection we found improvements had been made which meant the provider was now meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010.
Fylde Domiciliary Service is one of a number of services provided by Lancashire County Council.
Fylde Domiciliary Service provides personal care services to adults with learning disabilities in their own homes. This arrangement is called ‘supported living’ because people are supported to live, often in groups, in properties which are provided by a social or other landlord. The service provides 24 hour support to 25 people in the Warton, Lytham and St Annes areas.
The service has a registered manager. 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.
We found people were supported by a stable staff team who had been trained to keep people safe and to prevent avoidable harm. Staff told us they would not hesitate to raise concerns about poor practice. There were safe and effective systems in place to manage people’s medicines.
Staff had a good knowledge of people’s needs and had received training in specialised subjects to ensure they could meet people’s individual needs. People were encouraged and supported to lead a healthy and active lifestyle as much as they were able.
People’s privacy, dignity and independence was respected and promoted by staff who were kind, caring and considerate in their approach. People and their relatives were complimentary about the service provided.
We found that Fylde Domiciliary Service provided a personalised service to the people they supported. People were able to be as independent as they wished and could pursue their own leisure or work interests. Staff provided support which was tailored to their individual needs.
The service made sure people received a high quality of support in a number of ways. These included staff supervision and appraisal, regular team meetings and sharing best practice across the provider group. People and their relatives were asked for their views and opinions about the support provided and staff were also able to contribute ideas and suggestions to improve the service.
One person told us "I like them all (the staff). I do lots on my own now. Things they used to come with me to but now I go on my own." Another person said, "I want to get my own house. I've been getting more independent. They've helped me with going to college, getting the bus and I'm learning to cook".
We observed the care that staff provided to people. We saw staff supporting people sensitively and with respect. Staff were knowledgable about the needs of the people they supported. People were given choices about the activities they wanted to be involved in.
Staff supported people to shop for and to prepare meals in the way they wanted. One person told us, "I go shopping with (name of staff member) every Thursday. We do a list and I pick what I like. They make good food, I like it."
There were appropriate staff to provide support to people and systems meant that staff could access advice or support at any time.
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service people received. However, we found evidence that current systems were not effective to ensure risks to people's safety were assessed and managed effectively.
There was an effective complaints system in place and an accessible 'easy to read' version was available.
The people that did speak to us said '' They (the staff) explain to me what the choices are and help me to make decisions about my activities.'' People told us that staff worked in the same houses and therefore people tend to have the same care worker.
One person told us when a carer had to move to work in another home belonging to the service that they kept in contact and visited often. They said ''(staff member) is taking me on holiday, I enjoy my holidays'. The service is planning their annual holiday and has made arrangements for the carer working in another home to go with them helping to maintain relationships.
One person we spoke with showed us their personal care plan file with all the details of their assessments and goals. The file was user friendly using a lot of pictorial prompts. They told us 'I like it here, miss being at home'
Relatives told that us they felt able to express their views about the care and support being provided for their relatives. Comments included: "Staff tell me everyday how he is'. One relative referring to one of the carers said, 'He's smashing even when I tell him if something is wrong'