We carried out a review of the data available to us about Helping Hands Dulwich 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 Helping Hands Dulwich, you can give feedback on this service.
Helping Hands Dulwich is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes and flats. At the time of our inspection, 23 people were receiving personal care and support.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People had mixed views about staff’s punctuality. Although enough numbers of staff were deployed to support people, a few had experienced delayed calls and missed visits. The majority of people felt safe with the care provided. Relatives’ comments received included, “[Person] is quite safe so far with all the staff that have attended” and “The fact that usually they’ve got ID and they’re in the uniform and they wear the face masks still.”
Staff were aware of safeguarding processes and knew how to identify and report allegations of abuse to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm. One person told us, “[Care staff] is absolutely marvellous. They keep me safe. Absolutely fine with the care.” Risks to people were assessed and management plans put in place to enable staff to provide care safely.
People were provided with the support they required to take their medicines safely. Safe recruitment practices ensured people were supported by staff vetted as suitable to provide care. Staff provided care in a manner which minimised the risk of contamination and spread of disease.
Staff were supported to undertake effectively their caring roles including undergoing training and supervisions. One person told us, “[Staff] are very easy going and professional.”
People told us staff were compassionate and caring. Comments we received included, “The main skills that they have is to be professional and have a caring attitude and all the staff I’ve met definitely possess that.” Staff respected people’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality. People were encouraged to maintain their independence and to undertake tasks they were able to do for themselves. Staff enabled people to make choices about their daily living.
People underwent an assessment of their health and wellbeing to ensure staff provided them with appropriate care. A relative told us, “Things are done properly.” People received healthcare services when required. People and their relatives were provided with information about how to make a complaint about any aspect of care delivered. Most people felt their concerns were resolved in a timely manner.
Quality assurances systems were used to identity and address shortcomings in care delivery. People, staff and relatives had opportunities to share their views about the service and in the majority, felt listened to. The provider worked in partnership with other agencies and health and social care professionals to provide suitable care to people using 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.
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 the service under the previous provider was good, (published on 8 November 2018.)
Why we inspected?
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.
Some people supported by Helping Hands Dulwich did not receive a regulated activity from the service. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, which includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
This inspection took place on 2 and 3 October 2018 and was announced. 48 hours before the inspection we contacted the service to let them know that we will be coming to inspect them. We wanted to make sure that the management team would be available on the day of inspection.
This service has not previously been inspected.
The service had a branch manager in post who was in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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’s risk management plans had details on the support people required to stay safe but lacked information on the specific risks to people and how the identified risks affected people’s well-being should they occurred. We have made a recommendation about this.
Some people felt that communication with the management team was not always affective as sometimes they were not notified if staff were running late. The service had a new manager in place who was looking to make improvements as required. Data about people and the staff team was kept in one place which helped the management team to access information quickly as necessary. There were quality assurance processes in place to monitor the services being delivered for people. Staff felt supported by the management team when they approached them for guidance and assistance.
People told us they were supported by regular staff who knew their care and support needs well.
The service planned to start using a new electronic system for monitoring staff visiting times and to improve their communication with people if staff were running late.
Staff had knowledge and skills to support people from potential harm and abuse. People received their medicines in line with their prescriptions. Staff were required to carry out pre-employment checks to ensure they were fit for the role. Staff used protective clothing to minimise the risk of infection. The management team had monitored the incidents and accidents occurring and took action to protect people as necessary.
Staff were supported to gain the necessary skills and knowledge required for their role. Staff assisted people to prepare their meals and attend to their complex health needs if people required support with this. Staff were trained to assist people in the decision-making process based on the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).
People felt confident in the staff that supported them and described staff as kind and attentive to their well-being. Staff were aware of people’s preferences and enabled them to make choices about their daily living. Staff encouraged people to take responsibility for the activities they could carry out themselves. People felt their dignity was respected which helped them to feel valued.
Staff responded to people’s changing care needs quickly as required. People were supported to raise concerns and complaints should they had any. People had regular reviews and felt confident to approach the management team for making changes to their care plans as necessary.