Archived: Nottingham Domiciliary Care Service

Updated 16 July 2016

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 is 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 took place on 16 June 2016. We gave the provider 48 hours notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection, we contacted the local commissioners for health and social care to obtain feedback. We also contacted the local Healthwatch team. We looked at the statutory notifications that the service sent to us. These contain important or serious information which the provider must tell us about.

Prior to the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make.

On the day of our inspection, we spoke with the registered manager and a support team leader We looked at the care records of one person who used the service, and we also looked at files for three members of staff. We also looked at accident and incident records, any received complaints and compliments. We checked the policies and procedures that were used by the service. We reviewed staff training records, and checked how the service showed they were maintaining the quality of the service.

After the inspection, we spoke with one person who used the service, one support worker, and a social care professional.

Updated 16 July 2016

We carried out an announced inspection of the service on 16 June 2016.

Nottingham Domiciliary Care Service is a domiciliary care agency that is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting one people across the city and County of Nottingham. The service supported people living with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.

Nottingham Domiciliary Care Service is required by the Care Quality Commission to have a registered manager. A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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 by staff who were trained to recognise the signs of harm and knew what actions to take to keep people safe and protect them. Risks were recognised, and managed through the use of risk assessments. The risk assessments advised staff of the best ways to promote people's safety.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs, and people usually received support from the same staff members. The provider had carried out relevant checks to make sure staff were recruited safely.

At the time of our inspection, no one required support with their medication. However, the provider arranged training for staff. This was to ensure that staff were able to administer medicines correctly should the situation change.

People were supported by staff who had been trained to work under the guidance of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The MCA is the legal framework to ensure that where people are assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions for themselves, decisions are made in their best interests. People using the service were deemed to have capacity to make everyday decisions, staff had received training in relation to Mental Capacity Act, and understood relevant issues relating to consent and capacity.

People were supported by staff who had knowledge of their needs and routines, and who had the necessary training to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Staff received training, and were given regular supervision and support to ensure they maintained the necessary skills to fulfil their roles.

People were satisfied with their support, and were positive about the way staff assisted and interacted with them. Staff demonstrated clear understanding of the needs and preferences of the people they supported. Staff showed care and respect in discussion about the people they supported

People were involved in planning their support, and participated in assessments before their support began. People's choices and preferences were always considered and they received support that was suitable for their needs. Care records gave information to staff about the support that people needed and how it would be provided. Where relevant staff were able to seek support from healthcare professionals in order to meet people's health care needs.

The registered manager and provider checked people’s satisfaction with the support they received. This included reviews, personal visits from senior staff telephone calls, and satisfaction surveys. Concerns or complaints were responded to adequately.

There was an open and supportive culture within the service, and staff spoke positively about the management and the leadership. Staff felt confident to raise concerns or suggestions with the management team, and trusted that any issues would be readily dealt with.

Support plans and risk assessments were regularly checked and amended to ensure they provided up-to-date information on each person's support needs .

The service kept records of incidents and accidents, and recorded what relevance actions had been taken as a result.