Archived: East Lancs Dom Care

Updated 21 August 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care and support provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, support workers and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records, two staff files in relation to recruitment, staff supervision records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including complaints records, meeting records and quality monitoring checks. Policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We received further information from the registered manager and provider to support the evidence we found.

Updated 21 August 2019

About the service

East Lancs Dom Care is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people with mental ill health, living in their own homes and with supported living arrangements. At the time of the inspection 18 people were receiving support.

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.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they felt safe with the service. Staff had received training on safeguarding adults at risk. Staff were aware of the signs and indicators of abuse and they knew what to do if they had any concerns. Recruitment practices made sure checks were carried out before staff started work. There were enough suitable staff available to provide care and support; staffing arrangements were kept under review. Staff followed processes to manage people's medicines safely. Health and safety was monitored and risks to people's individual well-being were being assessed and managed.

Processes were in place to find out about people's backgrounds, their needs, abilities and choices before they used the service. 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.

Staff encouraged people to lead healthy lifestyles. They were supported as appropriate with their healthcare needs and medical appointments. People were given support as necessary with meals and drinks, healthy eating was monitored and promoted. The provider ensured staff had access to ongoing training, development and supervision.

People made positive comments about the staff and managers. One person told us, “They are friendly, compassionate and attentive. It’s generally nice to have them around.” Staff knew people well and were respectful of their choices and lifestyles. People's privacy and dignity was respected. People were enabled to be independent and develop their life skills.

People received personalised care and support. They were supported as appropriate, to engage in community-based activities. People had contact with families, friends and acquaintances. The provider had processes in place to support people with making complaints.

People were treated as partners in managing their individual support. Management and leadership arrangements supported the effective day to day running of the service. The provider used a range of systems, to regularly monitor and improve the service. There were processes to consult with people about their experiences of the service and make any improvements.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 9 August 2018. This was the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection in response to the date of registration.

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.