Archived: Worcestershire Domiciliary Care Branch

Worcestershire Domiciliary Care Branch is a supported living scheme providing personal care to 29 people living in the complex. Not everyone who lived at the scheme 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

Service management and leadership had been inconsistent and areas for improvements were needed in how the provider monitored the quality of care and accuracy of record keeping.

Staff knew how to recognise potential abuse and who they should report any concerns to. People had access to equipment that reduced the risk of harm. There were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs.

People were supported to maintain a healthy diet in line with their needs and preferences. Staff were trained to meet people’s needs and acted promptly to refer people to healthcare professionals when required.

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.

People enjoyed positive and caring relationships with the staff team and were treated with kindness and respect. People’s independence was promoted as staff were careful not to do things for people they could do for themselves.

People were supported by staff who knew about their needs and routines and ensured these were met and respected. People and relatives knew how to complain and were confident their concerns would be listened to. The provider worked well with partners to ensured people’s needs were met.

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 February 2019).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

The inspection took place on 20 and 24 January 2017 and was announced.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered provider, 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.

People told us they felt safe when they were receiving care and while living within their own flats. Staff knew how to keep people safe and what risks people could be subjected to. Staff had received training on what abuse was and the action they needed to take if abuse was identified.

People felt there were sufficient staff available and told us staff arrived on time at their flat to provide the care and support they needed. Some people felt improvements in flexibility were needed which the registered manager showed us they were looking into at the time of our inspection. Checks were made on potential staff members prior to them starting work to ensure their suitability.

Staff received training and support to enable them to provide care and support to people. Staff felt supported by the management team and the team leaders. Staff received training and felt they could discuss their training needs with the management. People had their privacy and dignity maintained and staff were able to describe how they managed this.

People received appropriate support to ensure they received their medicines as prescribed and received healthcare support and advice to ensure their well-being. People received assistance with the preparation of meals and drinks as needed.

People were asked for their permission prior to receiving care and support so people were able to give their consent. Best interest decisions were in place where people were unable to make an informed decision on their own.

People were satisfied with the care they received and were supported in a way they wanted to be. People had care plans in place describing their needs and risks associated with their care. These were reviewed in line with people’s changing care needs.

Staff told us they enjoyed their work and liked the management team. People and their relatives were confident any complaints made would be listened to.

Systems were in place to monitor the service provided for people as a means to improve the quality of care and support people received.