Archived: North East Rapid Response (DCC Homecare Service)

We found that assessment and care planning for people's care was done by the main provider of their domiciliary care. We saw that information available about their care was not always sufficiently detailed to ensure people's needs were fully met. The managers and staff North East Rapid Response planned people's care as effectively as possible, however, with the available information to ensure it was as safe and appropriate as possible.

An effective complaints procedure was in place for people receiving care and managers also recorded comments, concerns and commendations at the local office.

We found the consent for people's care should be obtained when people's assessment and care plans were completed. Records we saw did not show, however, that this had been done. This meant that although staff at North East Rapid Response verbally checked that people were happy with their care that consent had not been properly obtained. We also found that where people were not able to provide their own consent, for example due to dementia, that the correct procedures had not been used for making decisions about their care.

We found that sufficient experienced and skilled staff were available to provide people's care.

Some of the visits the staff made were regular visits to the same people, while some were allocated following telephone contact with Call Derbyshire. Call Derbyshire is Derbyshire County Council's 24 hour telephone help line for access to all services.

We found the service to be well organised with good contacts and support from other agencies. For example there were links to social workers who would deal with any safeguarding concerns. While there were also links to health services to pass on any health related concerns.

We spoke with three people who were either receiving a service from NE Rapid Response or who had received a service from them. In every conversation we had, we were told that the staff were very caring, very professional, and that the people receiving a service were very happy.

Particular comments we received were: 'The staff are marvellous. They are really caring, and they make me feel safe.' 'We don't have a service from them anymore, we have a private firm now, but I wish we still did. The staff were so kind and caring, not that the new lot aren't, it's just that the 'out of hours' staff went that little bit further.'