Dignicare

Updated 1 February 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one Inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Domiciliary care

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 17 December 2019 and ended on 18 December 2019. We visited the office location on 18 December 2019.

What we did before the inspection

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service and asked other organisations such as the local authority and safeguarding teams for any information they could share. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection-

We spoke with the registered manager and provider, the office manager and three members of staff. We also spoke by phone with six people who used the service and three relatives. We looked at five people’s care plans and associated documents such as medicines administration records, surveys audits and other information relating to the running of the service.

After the inspection

We asked the provider to send us additional evidence to support our judgments, and we received this within the timescale we agreed.

Updated 1 February 2020

About the service

Dignicare is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 125 people using the service in the areas of Ilkley, Skipton and Bingley. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is 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 and what we found

People told us they felt safe using the service and saw known staff when they were expecting to.

The provider had policies and practices in place to ensure people were protected from any potential abuse, and make sure any concerns were appropriately investigated and reported. Staff backgrounds were checked and assessments of any risks associated with people’s care and support were well assessed.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were trained and supported to provide effective care, and the provider worked well with other professionals to deliver the care people needed. People’s capacity to make decisions was well managed, and there was good support in place to make sure people had enough to eat and drink.

Dignicare provided a consistent standard of person-centred care. People’s diverse preferences and wishes were understood and respected.

There was a strong approach to understanding people’s needs and wishes for end of life care, and the provider was working with suitably qualified health professionals to further improve this aspect of their service provision.

There was a robust response to any concerns or complaints which enabled the provider to understand how they were able to maintain and exceed these standards even when something may have gone wrong. People sent in heartfelt compliments about the service and how it delivered good care.

People and staff got on well together, and people were able to be involved in planning and reviewing in their care. People received respectful care and their independence was promoted whenever possible.

There was a clear vision in the service, and the provider monitored quality well. People and staff were asked for their opinions, and the provider was candid when things went wrong.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (Published 25 April 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.