Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People’s care plans included detailed information about their health, communication, personal care, relationships and working, living skills, socializing and recreation needs. They provided guidance for staff on how to support people to achieve their goals. Regular reviews took place with people and their relatives, to ensure care was personalised and relevant.

The service planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

People’s care plans contained information about their nutritional preferences and medical conditions. People told us they were encouraged to make choices about their meals. People and relatives were involved in reviewing care plans, to ensure care was provided in line with people’s needs and wishes. Staff worked with health and social care professionals where required.

The service worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

People told us staff supported them to organise health appointments. Relatives confirmed this. Care plans contained information about people’s health conditions. Records detailed conversations with health and social care professionals who were involved in people's care. Staff told us there was continuity of care as they worked regularly with healthcare professionals.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People told us they chose how they spent their time, for example, going out for a cup of tea, for lunch, attending clubs and staying at home. Staff also supported people to go on holidays. People were supported to attend healthcare appointments, including annual health reviews. Relatives told us people were encouraged to be as independent as possible and their wishes and choices were respected. A relative told us, “[Person] is more independent with them than when [person] is with me. It’s a great team; they are absolutely fantastic”.

The service routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Care plans included clear, personalised goals and guidance for staff, which were reviewed regularly to reflect people’s changing needs. The provider worked closely with healthcare professionals and staff monitored people’s health conditions to ensure positive outcomes for people. Relatives told us staff understood people’s health conditions and provided care effectively. A relative said, “They’ve all taken time to know [person] so well, that allows them to work and support [person] well in a good way”.

The service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

People were treated with respect and supported to live their lives. People and relatives told us staff promoted people to make their own choices. Staff sought consent from people. A clear process was in place to carry out mental capacity assessments when required and assessments had been completed for individual decisions. Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act, and a policy was in place to support practice.