Background to this inspection
Updated
1 March 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 checked 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.
This inspection took place on 22 and 25 January 2016 and was announced. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the service is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection, the provider completed a provider information return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also analysed the results of questionnaires which were sent to people who use the service, their relatives, staff members and health care professionals who are linked to the service regarding the support being provided by United Response DCA- Central.
On 22 January 2016, we visited the main office for United Response DCA- Central and spoke to the registered manager. We looked at the support plans of four people and records which related to staffing including their recruitment procedures and the training and development of staff. We inspected the most recent records relating to the management of the service including accident and incident reports.
Most people who receive a service from United Response DCA- Central were unable to communicate with us due to their complex needs; therefore we joined one person being supported by a staff member on their activities.
On 25 January 2016, we continued our inspection and also joined people and staff at a small day centre run by the service. After the inspection, we spoke with three relatives by telephone about the service their loved one’s received from United Response DCA- Central as well as three staff members. We also received information about the service from four health care professionals.
Updated
1 March 2016
This inspection took place on 22 and 25 January 2016 and was announced. United Response DCA - Central is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support to people with physical needs as well as people who have learning disabilities, mental health problems and sensory impairments.
United Response DCA- Central provides care and support to people who live in their own homes and also to people who live in shared accommodation known as supportive living. The level and amount of support people need is determined by their own personal needs. We only inspected parts of the service which supported people with the regulated activity of personal care. At the time of our inspection there were only nine people receiving support with their personal care.
A registered manager was in place as required by their conditions of registration. 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 and associated regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was supported by six team managers who managed services in six different geographical areas across four counties.
Most people were unable to express their views about the service they received due to their complex needs. However, their relatives were very positive about the service and highly praised the staff.
Staff had been trained to support people with arrange of diverse needs. They told us they felt supported by senior staff but regular formal meetings with their line manager were not always consistent.
People received care and support which had been focused on their individual needs. Suitable staffing levels were in place so people could be adequately supported at home and in the community. Staff were knowledgeable about supporting people with complex needs or behaviours that may be seen as challenging by others. Where people’s physical and emotional needs had changed, they had been referred to health care professionals for additional advice and support. Staff had reflected and learnt from any incidents where people or staff could have been potentially harmed.
People’s support plans gave staff detailed guidance on how people like to be supported and their preferred standards of care. They were encouraged to try out new activities. People had been supported to maintain links with their families but also to become as independent as possible.
The management and administration of their medicines was based on people’s individual support needs and local pharmaceutical systems. People were encouraged to make their own decisions about their meals but were also encouraged to eat a healthy diet.
The service was well led. There was a strong management team who had a good understanding of needs of people. People and their relatives knew where to make a complaint if they had any concerns. The provider and registered manager sought and valued people’s opinions about the service they received. A new system to monitor the quality of the service being provided had been implemented.