We carried out a review of the data available to us about Mencap - Teeside Domiciliary Care Agency on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Mencap - Teeside Domiciliary Care Agency, you can give feedback on this service.
Mencap – Teeside Domiciliary Care Agency is a domiciliary care agency providing personal support to people in their own home.
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. At the time of our inspection eight people were receiving personal care. These included younger and older adults with a range of physical and learning disabilities.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received care and support that was exceptionally personalised and specifically tailored to meet their needs as closely as possible. People’s support plans contained very detailed information to ensure their individual needs and preferences had been considered. Plans to minimise incidents of behaviour were devised and successfully put into action reducing distress and minimising the risk of harm. People’s communication needs were very closely assessed and plans put in place to ensure staff had all the skills and information necessary to communicate with each individual. People were involved in a variety of activities that reflected their own hobbies and interests. There was a procedure in place for addressing complaints and this was correctly followed.
People’s medicines were administered safely. Medicine records were completed correctly. People were encouraged to take positive risks and risk assessments were in place to minimise the risk of avoidable harm.
People were supported by well trained staff. Staff supported people to eat and drink enough to keep them healthy. People were supported to attend health care appointments to ensure the best outcome for the person’s wellbeing.
Care was delivered with dignity and respect. People liked the staff who supported them and were happy with the care and support they received.
An effective system of checks and audits was in place. People and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service.
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.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
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 January 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.
Mencap - Darlington and Teesside Domiciliary Care Agency is a domiciliary care agency located in Thornaby, in the Tees Valley. It provides personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 22 people were receiving personal care. These included younger adults and older people with a range of physical and learning disabilities.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
People and their relatives told us staff kept people safe. Risks to people using the service were assessed and plans put in place to reduce the chances of them occurring. Accidents and incidents were monitored by both the registered manager and a health and safety officer employed by the registered provider.
The service had a business contingency plan in place to assist staff in keeping people safe in emergencies. People’s medicines were managed safely. Procedures were in place to minimise the risk of abuse occurring and staff told us they would be confident to raise any concerns they had, to either the registered manager or the local safeguarding authorities.
The registered manager monitored staffing levels to ensure enough staff were employed to support people safely. The registered provider’s recruitment process reduced the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.
People and their relatives told us staff were effective at meeting their support needs. Staff received mandatory training in a wide range of areas and spoke positively about it. Staff were supported through regular supervisions and appraisals.
Staff worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Where people received support with food and nutrition their dietary needs and preferences were documented in their care plans. Staff supported people to access other healthcare professionals to maintain and improve their health.
People and their relatives spoke positively about the care they received from staff, describing the service as kind and caring. People and their relatives told us staff treated people with dignity and respect.
Staff told us care plans contained all of the information they needed to offer personalised and caring support, including information on people’s relatives and things that were important to them. People were supported to access advocacy services where these were needed.
The registered manager and staff had an excellent understanding of people’s support needs and preferences. Care plans were written from the perspective of the person they belonged to, and their sense of identity was present throughout. Where a support need was identified staff worked hard to be innovative in providing person-centred care based on best practice.
Some people received support with accessing activities. Where the service was responsible for this staff were innovative and successful in meeting people’s individual needs.
Clear processes were in place for responding to and learning from complaints. People and their relatives said they were confident to raise any issues they had and were sure staff would work to address them.
Staff spoke positively about the culture and values of the service and about the registered manager, describing her as approachable, supportive and inclusive.
The registered manager and care managers carried out quality assurance checks to monitor and improve standards at the service. The service regularly sought and acted on feedback from people and their relatives. The service had good working relationships with other organisations which were used to enhance the support people received.
The registered manager had informed CQC of significant events in a timely way by submitting the required notifications. This meant we could check that appropriate action had been taken.