We carried out a themed inspection looking at domiciliary care services. We asked people to tell us what it was like to receive services from this home care agency as part of a targeted inspection programme of domiciliary care agencies with particular regard to how people's dignity was upheld and how they can make choices about their care. The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector, joined by an Expert by Experience, people who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service. The 15 people contacted by the Expert by Experience said they were well treated and spoken to in an appropriate manner and with kindness
We also visited people in their own homes and spoke with them and a relative, who all made positive, comments about the staff. They told us they had used the agency for a number of years and they felt able to approach the manager with complaints. They said the staff knew how to care for them and they were not frightened of being alone with the staff. We were also told they made decisions about their care and the staff respected their choices. One person said 'I have never had concerns about the staff, I am not frightened of the staff and they are friendly.' Another person said 'The staff knew how to care for me and they do what I ask.'
People who used the service told us visits were not missed, but they no longer received a weekly rota to inform them of the staff that would be visiting. The manager told us the staff shortages were the reasons why people did not receive a weekly rota telling them of the staff that would be visiting. We were told recruitment of new staff, internal procedures and the introduction of a computer system would be used to resolve this area of concern for people.