Age UK Doncaster

Age UK Doncaster provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, Age UK Doncaster was providing regulated activity to 86 people.

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 the service was safe. They said staffing levels met their needs. Medicines were managed safely. Staff had an awareness of people’s needs. Systems and processes continued to be followed to ensure people were protected from risk of abuse. Risk was sometimes managed and addressed. We made a recommendation about the management of risk and the provider took immediate action.

People told us the care they received was effective. People’s needs, and choices were assessed in line with standards, guidance and the law. The provider had developed relationships with other professionals which promoted effective care. People were supported to live healthier lives and have control within their lives. Staff told us they had access to training and felt supported in their roles. People’s nutritional needs were met. Consent was routinely sought but did not always consistently follow the process of the Mental Capacity Act. We made a recommendation and the provider took immediate action to address this. 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, relatives and professionals all agreed the service was well-led. The management team was aware of their responsibilities and was committed to providing high-quality, person-centred care. The provider understood the importance of continuous learning and driving up standards. When areas for improvement were identified during the inspection process, the provider worked swiftly to ensure improvements were made. The registered provider understood the importance of partnership working. They engaged with people, staff and the wider public. Staff said the service was a good place to work. The provider had a system for monitoring quality and safety.

People and relatives all agreed staff were kind and caring. They told us privacy and dignity were always promoted. There was a focus on promoting independence and building community networks.

People told us they received person-centred care. They confirmed they were consulted with and able to contribute to how they lived and were supported. No one had any complaints at the time of the visit and everyone we spoke with was confident any complaints would be dealt with effectively by management. Processes were in place to effectively and compassionately support people at the end of life.

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 09 October 2017).

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.

Age UK Doncaster is a domiciliary care agency providing care and support to people living in their own homes. The office is situated close to the town centre of Doncaster. Support packages are person centred and based on the individual needs of people who use the service

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. 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. The registered manager was on leave at the time of our inspection and therefore other members of the management team were involved in the inspection.

The service had a procedure in place to safeguard people from abuse. Staff we spoke with knew the procedure to follow if they suspected abuse was happening.

We looked at care records and found they included risks associated with people’s care. Risks identified had a plan in place to minimise the risk from occurring.

Staff we spoke with told us they had enough time to complete the calls given to them. They had a call monitoring system in place which alerted the office if the care worker had not arrived at the call. The office staff were then able to ensure the call was covered.

The provider had a medication policy in place and staff were trained in the safe handling of medication. Care records included a section about how the care workers should support people to take their medicines.

The service had a safe recruitment system in place. This enabled the provider to select staff who were suitable for the role.

Staff received training and support which gave them the skills and knowledge to complete their role well. Records of training attended were maintained and updated when staff completed further training. Staff felt their managers were approachable and supportive.

The management team and staff we spoke with understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They spoke with us about the importance of gaining consent prior to delivering care.

Some people required support to ensure they received their meals. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs in this area and told us they left drinks and snacks for people where required.

Staff told us that they would seek the guidance of healthcare professionals as required.

We spoke with staff and they told us how they ensured people’s privacy and dignity was maintained. Staff were respectful of people’s home environment and told us they always knocked on the door before entering their property.

We looked at care records belonging to people who used the service and found they were informative and person centred. They contained relevant information regarding how people preferred to be supported.

The service had a complaints procedure and concerns received were acted upon in a timely way and in line with the provider’s policy.

The provider had a system in place to monitor the quality of service delivery, staff performance and feedback from people who used the service.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. Where people did not have the capacity to consent, the provider acted in accordance with legal requirements. People told us they felt fully informed and involved in their care.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People who used the service were complimentary about the way care and support was organised. Most people told us the same staff arrived for each visit, varying only to cover sickness and holidays. This ensured there was continuity of care.

People were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate guidance had been followed. Staff we spoke with were able to demonstrate an awareness of their responsibilities for infection prevention and control. They told us they had received training in infection control procedures.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. People and relatives we spoke with were complimentary about the care staff. They said staff arrived on time and no one mentioned a problem with missed calls. One person commented that the carer was 'Excellent and anticipates all my needs".

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.