Archived: Dimensions Tyneside Domiciliary Care Office

Updated 8 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection was announced and took place on 9, 10 and 12 October 2017. We gave short notice that we would be visiting because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure someone would be in at the office. The inspection was carried out by an adult social care inspector 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.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send us within required timescales. We contacted local authority commissioners and Healthwatch, the local consumer champion for health and social care services.

During the inspection we visited three people using the service and talked with three of their support staff and a locality manager. We had telephone contact with another three people and three relatives to obtain their feedback. At our visit to the office we talked with the registered manager, two locality managers, and a regional assistant. We reviewed four people’s care records, five people’s medicines records, and other records related to the staffing and management of the service.

Updated 8 December 2017

Dimensions Tyneside Domiciliary Care Office provides personal care and support to people with learning and physical disabilities living in their own homes and in supported living arrangements. At the time of the inspection, services were provided to 39 people who lived in the Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland and South Tyneside areas.

At the last inspection in June 2015 the service was rated 'Good'. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.

The service had established systems for protecting people from abuse and responding to any safeguarding concerns. People’s care was planned to prevent and reduce risks to their safety and welfare.

New staff were properly checked and vetted and there were sufficient staff employed to support people safely and provide continuity of care. The staff team received appropriate training and supervision in their roles to ensure they provided effective care.

Suitable arrangements were in place to assist people in maintaining good health and taking their prescribed medicines. Staff supported people in meeting their dietary needs and, where able, to be involved in planning and preparing meals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their families had formed good relationships with the staff and told us they were kind, caring and respectful. The service was committed to giving people information in a way they could understand. People were encouraged, wherever possible, to be independent and make choices and decisions about their care.

Person-centred care plans were in place which addressed the individual’s needs, preferences and the outcomes they wanted to achieve. People were supported to maintain relationships, engage in social activities and be included in their local and wider communities.

A range of methods were used to help people give their feedback and influence the standards of the service they received. Complaints were taken seriously and acted upon.

The management worked inclusively, promoted an open culture and provided leadership to staff. The quality of the service was continuously monitored and developed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.