Archived: Southampton Community Care Services DCA

Updated 8 July 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 09 and 16 June 2016. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that staff would be available.

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors. Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the completed PIR before the inspection. We also checked other information we held about the service and the service provider, including previous inspection reports and notifications about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection we spoke to eleven people who used the service, or their relatives by telephone and visited three people in their own home. We spoke with the manager and nine staff members. We looked at care records for eight people. We also reviewed records about how the service was managed, including five staff training and recruitment records.

Updated 8 July 2016

This inspection took place on 09 and 16 June 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office.

Southampton Community Care Services DCA provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of this inspection the agency was providing a service to 75 people with a variety of care needs, including people living with physical frailty or memory loss due to the progression of age. The agency is managed from a centrally located office base in Southampton.

At our last inspection on 04 and 11 June 2015, we found two breaches of regulations. The service was non-compliant with people’s risk assessments and people’s care plans. During this inspection we found action had been taken and improvements made.

A registered manager was not 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 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 service was currently in the process of registering the manager for the regulated activity of personal care.

People and their families told us they felt safe and secure when receiving care. However, staffing levels were not always sufficient to take into account people’s needs and the time were not always provided when people would like them to suit their needs. The manager was aware of our concerns and actions had already been put in place. People’s medicines records were not always recorded appropriately by staff leaving some gaps in medicines administration records and information on where to apply cream was not always clear.

Safe recruitment practices were followed and appropriate checks were undertaken, which helped make sure only suitable staff were employed to care for people in their own homes. Staff received training in safeguarding adults and child protection for when they came into contact with children. Staff told us they felt supported and received regular supervisions and support. Staff meetings were held quarterly.

People’s risk assessments and those relating to their homes’ environment were detailed and helped reduce risks to people while maintaining their independence. The service had introduced a training tool to be more pro-active known as the ‘Mears Prevention System (MPS). People were able to access healthcare services.

People who used the service felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was respected. People were supported to eat and drink when needed. Staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and were clear that people had the right to make their own choices.

Staff were responsive to people’s needs which were detailed in peoples care plans. Care plans provided comprehensive information which helped ensure people received personalised care. People felt listened to and a complaints procedure was in place.

Staff felt supported by the manager and felt they could visit the office any time and be listened to. Staff meetings were held regularly and staff were recognised in these meetings for their hard work and dedication. There were systems in place to monitor quality and safety of the service provided. Accidents and incidents were monitored, analysed and remedial actions identified to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.