About the serviceNewark Regional Office is a domiciliary care agency that was providing personal care to 21 older people, people living with a dementia, people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities and mental health conditions at the time of our inspection.
The service was divided into two parts. One provided support to people with general personal care needs and the other to people with more complex and specialist needs. Both operated out of the same office location with the same registration, policies and procedures.
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.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service
We have made a recommendation about involving people in decisions about their care. People received person-centred support. The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
Risks to people were assessed and addressed. Medicines were managed safely. People were supported by staff who had been safely recruited.
Staff were supported with regular training, supervision and appraisal. 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 received kind and caring support. Staff worked to maintain and promote people’s dignity and independence.
Quality assurance systems had not identified or addressed issues in relation to best interest decisions and communication but registered managers told us how they would improve this. The service had strong links with the local community.
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 good. (report published October 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned visit under our inspection programme.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.