Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

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

This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Staff reported accidents and incidents, and these were investigated by management. Lessons learnt were recorded and shared with staff during team meetings, to prevent safety concerns from happening again. Staff told us they could raise concerns to management.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

People’s needs were assessed before they received a service, and these assessments formed the basis of their care plan. A guide was in place to provide additional support during transition. There was a process in place to ensure people’s information was available to emergency services in case of a hospital admission. This meant emergency services had access to clear and up-to-date information, enabling them to maintain safe and effective care when people moved between different services. People’s information was kept up to date through regular reviews.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The service shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Relatives told us they felt people were safe being supported by Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency. Policy and procedures were in place and staff received safeguarding training. Staff understood how to raise concerns. Safeguarding systems and processes were in place to identify, report and investigate concerns. The provider maintained clear and detailed records that showed appropriate action had been taken where necessary.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

People were supported to engage in positive risk taking, such as participating in activities at home and in the community and going on holiday. Risks to people's safety and wellbeing were assessed and recorded. Detailed care plans provided guidance to staff and ensured people were supported in line with their needs and preferences. These were regularly reviewed and updated using the provider’s electronic system. This meant any changes were immediately accessible to staff. Staff told us they were provided with all the information needed to support people safely.

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

People were supported to maintain their environment. The provider had assessed people’s home environments for potential risks. People had personal evacuation plans in place, which provided staff with guidance on how to support people to leave their home safely in an emergency.

The service made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

Relatives were complimentary about staff and their knowledge and understanding of people’s needs. A relative said, “They do very good training in terms of [person’s] needs and get familiar with [person].” Staff completed training and team meetings, supervisions and checks, supported them in their roles. Staff told us their supervision was effective, comments included, “We do reflections and all this helps.”

The provider followed safe recruitment processes, and appropriate checks were carried out before staff commenced employment. This included enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for adults. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the police national computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

People were protected from the risk of avoidable infections. Personal protective equipment was held in people’s homes and staff called the office if they needed more delivered. Staff received infection prevention and control training, and their practice was checked regularly.

The service made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

People received their medicines as prescribed. PRN (as and when required) protocols were in place to guide staff on when to administer these medicines. People were supported to have regular reviews of their medicines with their GP. The provider was working in line with published guidance to ensure people were not over-medicated. Staff received medicines training and checks of their practice. Regular audits were carried out to identify any concerns. A medicines policy was in place which underpinned practice within the service.