Preston Domiciliary Service

Updated 4 April 2020

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

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors. An Expert by Experience made telephone calls to some people and their relatives. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in supported living tenancies. 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that someone would be available to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 10 March 2020 and ended on 12 March 2020. We visited the office location on 12 March 2020.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to our inspection we checked all the information we held about the service. This included any notifications the service is required to send to us by law, any allegations of abuse or feedback about the service. The provider was not requested to complete a provider information return at this time. 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.

During the inspection

Some people who used this service had limited verbal communication and therefore it was not possible to obtain their views about the service provided. However, to understand people’s experiences we were able to speak with four people who used the service and four relatives. We also requested feedback from ten community professionals and spoke with five staff members, as well as the managers of the service. We looked at several records. These included five care files, medication administration records, two staff files, training records and associated documentation relating to the operation and management of the service.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

Updated 4 April 2020

About the service

Preston Domiciliary Service is a service which provides personal care and support for adults with a learning disability including Autism Spectrum Disorder and or physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 43 people who used the service within fourteen supported living tenancies, which were staffed by care workers at all times. Each tenancy accommodated between one and five adults.

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

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.

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.

The opportunities made available to those who used the service clearly had a positive and encouraging impact on their physical, social and emotional well-being. This was confirmed by people we spoke with and their relatives. People were supported by a committed staff team to achieve their goals and to meet their aspirations. One person said, “I think the carers have good spirits and lift me up when I’m feeling down. They sit and talk about anything I want and show a general interest.”

People were safe using Preston Domiciliary Service. The practices adopted by the service protected people from harm. The staff team was consistent and the support provided to people promoted continuity of care. Robust recruitment practices were in place. Potential risks were handled well and medicines were managed safely. One person told us, “I generally feel safe with the care I’m having. The carers give me one to one support and there’s always someone around to talk to when you need help. I also think the building is safe and secure.”

A wide range of training had been provided for the staff team, which helped to ensure people received good care and support, in accordance with their needs. Community health and social care professionals had been involved in the care and support of those who used the service and people's dietary needs were fully met.

People were treated with dignity and respect and were involved in the decision-making process. Their preferences and wishes were respected by the staff team. Care files were very well written and provided staff with clear guidance about people’s needs. Detailed information was also available about how to communicate with people effectively and independence was consistently promoted.

The management and staff team were open and transparent during the inspection process. There was plenty evidence of community engagement taking place. A wide range of regular audits and monitoring was evident. We received very positive feedback about the manager and the staff team.

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

This service was registered with us on 26/03/2019 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up: The service will be re-inspected as per our inspection programme. We will continue to monitor any information we receive about the service. The inspection may be brought forward if any risks are identified.