Background to this inspection
Updated
31 May 2023
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing the performance at some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of 1 inspector and 1 Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
The service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
The provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
The inspection activity started on 20 April 2023 and ended on 05 May 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.
We reviewed a range of records related to 10 people’s care and support. This included care plans and risk assessments. We reviewed 4 staff files which included recruitment and training. We reviewed records in relation to the management of the service which included quality assurance, minutes of staff meetings and a range of policies and procedures.
We spoke to the registered manager and gathered feedback from 8 care workers. We spoke to 5 relatives.
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found after the inspection. We looked at further quality assurance records and correspondence with a range of professionals related to people’s care.
Updated
31 May 2023
About the service
Discovery Home is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides personal care to children and younger disabled adults. At the time of our inspection the service was providing personal care to 32 people.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspect the service received by people who get support with personal care. This includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people receive such support, we also consider any wider social care provided.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support.
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.
People were supported by staff to pursue their interests.
Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision making. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.
Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing.
Right Care:.
Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support for people. They understood people’s cultural needs and provided culturally appropriate care.
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs.
People could take part in activities and pursue interests that were tailored to them. The service gave people opportunities to try new activities that enhanced and enriched their lives.
Right Culture:
People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so.
Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.
Staff could recognise signs when people experienced emotional distress and knew how to support them to minimise the need to restrict their freedom to keep them safe.
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 requires improvement (published 21 October 2019).
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.
At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
The inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.