Oxfordshire DCA

Updated 23 August 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an 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

This service is a domiciliary care agency and supported living service. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. The service had a manager who was registering with the Care Quality Commission. This means the provider was legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. At the time of our inspection there was not 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.

Inspection activity started on 15 June 2022 when we visited the service’s office. We visited a location supporting four people on 17 June 2022.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Prior to our inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service. This included any information received and statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

During the inspection, we spoke with three people using the service, three people's relatives, three care staff, the service manager and the manager. We reviewed a range of records relating to people's care and the way the service was managed. These included care records for five people, staff training records, three staff recruitment files, quality assurance audits, complaints records, and records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

Following our visit to the office we continued to gather evidence and we contacted the local authorities for their views.

Updated 23 August 2022

About the service

Oxfordshire DCA is a domiciliary care agency and supported living service providing care to people in their own homes in Wantage, Oxfordshire. At the time of our inspection nine people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care from the service. Not everyone using the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care, which 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

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.

Right support

The staff supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control and independence over their own lives. People were supported by staff to pursue their interests. Risk assessments identified how potential risks should be managed to reduce the likelihood of people experiencing harm. This included strategies to manage people’s anxiety and distress. Staff understood the risks to people and delivered safe care in accordance with people's support plans.

Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local area and to interact with people. Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs and 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 were kept safe from abuse and harm, and staff knew how to report any suspicions concerning abuse. The service had systems to report and investigate concerns. Staff knew people well and communicated verbally and by using signs and body language.

Each staff member had received an induction and training to enable them to meet people's needs effectively. We saw that supervision/spot check meetings for staff were held regularly and staff felt supported by the management to perform their role.

People's care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life. Staff and people cooperated to assess risks people might face. Where appropriate, staff encouraged and enabled people to take positive risks.

Right culture

People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff. People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs.

People and those important to them, were involved in planning their care. The service enabled people and those important to them to work with staff to develop the service. Staff valued and acted upon people's views. People's quality of life was enhanced by the service's culture of improvement and inclusivity. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.

Relatives and staff spoke highly of the management; they found them approachable and supportive. Staff were given appropriate responsibility which was continuously monitored and checked by the manager. There were systems to monitor, maintain and improve the quality of the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 6 April 2019.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection under a new legal entity.

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.