We carried out a review of the data available to us about DHC - Dudley & Sandwell 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 DHC - Dudley & Sandwell, you can give feedback on this service.
DHC Midlands Limited is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. There were 235 people receiving care and support at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service:
People and their relatives gave us consistently positive feedback about the care and support delivered by the service. Typical comments included “I cannot commend this service enough, they have gone above and beyond” and “They are in constant touch and I trust all the staff to do the job well.”
Staff were on time for calls and stayed for the right length of time so people did not feel rushed and were confident staff would deliver their care when needed. Staff supported or prompted people to take their medication when required and people felt safe in the company of staff.
Staff supported people and their families to monitor people’s health and to ensure people had access to regular food and drinks. Staff received training which was relevant to their role and received good support from the management team.
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.
Staff took care to protect people’s dignity and privacy and people were supported to maintain their independence as much as possible. Staff understood people’s individual preferences and the service ensured staff could meet people’s cultural and religious needs.
The provider responded promptly to any complaints or concerns received and ensured action was taken to address any short falls in the service. The service communicated information to people using different formats and via staff who spoke different languages to ensure people’s views could be heard.
People, relatives and staff were all positive about how the service was led and managed. There was a strong culture of providing good quality care and support and decisive action was taken following audits and checks of the service.
Rating at last inspection:
The last rating for this service was good (published 31 December 2016).
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection which took place on 14 August 2019. Telephone calls were made to people receiving care and their relatives on 13 August 2019.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
DHC Midlands Ltd is registered to deliver personal care. They provide care to people who live in their own homes within the community. People who used the service may have a range of support needs related to old age and/or dementia, physical disability, sensory impairment, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder or mental health issues. At the time of our inspection 71 people received personal care from the provider.
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 were supported appropriately by staff to maintain their safety and protect them from avoidable harm. Staff received the training required in relation to medicines and periodically had their competency checked in all aspects of care provision. The provider investigated and reported the details of any incidents or accidents as necessary, including notifying the appropriate external agencies. Care staff were aware of the potential; risks to the people they cared for and knew how to support them in order to minimise these. People were supported by regular care staff and were notified of any delays that may occur in them receiving the care they were expecting.
People were supported by competent staff who had the knowledge and skills to assist them effectively with all their needs. New employee’s performance was monitored through meetings and via the feedback management sought from staff supporting them on induction. Staff were able to access the support and any advice they needed both in and out of hours. Staff understood the need to gain people’s consent before assisting them and how to support them to make informed choices. Staff knew clearly how people should be supported with their nutrition and to stay hydrated. When people had specific health care needs staff knew how support them and who to contact if the person became unwell, in and out of hours.
People were supported by caring, supportive care staff. Staff showed a caring nature towards the people they supported and knew people and their needs well. People were satisfied with how they were communicated with and involved in making decisions about their care. People were enabled by staff to remain as independent as possible. Care staff understood the importance of maintaining people’s privacy and dignity when providing care.
People received the care they wanted when they needed it and had their support needs periodically reviewed. Pre assessment information was used to inform the planning of people’s care when they started using the service. People’s cultural and spiritual needs were considered and met. People felt comfortable raising concerns and complaints with the office staff and management. The provider acknowledged, investigated and responded to complaints received in a timely manner and in line with their own policy.
People received a service that they felt made a positive difference to their lives. People and staff were supported through strong leadership from within the service by the registered manager and the management team in general. The provider was transparent in its reporting to us and other external agencies when incidents occurred within the service and there was an effective system in place to monitor the quality of service. The provider encouraged open communication and encouraged staff and people to give their views, suggestions and experiences of the service.