Dignity In Life

Updated 13 February 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 was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 23 January 2020 and ended on 24 January 2020. We visited the office location on 23 January 2020.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 nine people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the administrator and four care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included eight people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 13 February 2020

About the service

Dignity in Life is a service which provides support to older people and younger adults with a range of learning and physical disabilities, in their own homes. 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. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting approximately 110 people of whom 102 were receiving personal care.

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

Systems were in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. General and individual risk assessments were evident within people’s care files. Medicines systems were safe. Staff completed appropriate medicines training and regular refreshers to ensure their knowledge and skills remained current. The service were compliant with infection control and prevention procedures. Staff recruitment was safe, there was a thorough induction and on-going training. People told us staffing was consistent.

People’s needs were thoroughly assessed and care plans were regularly reviewed and updated. The service worked well with other professionals and agencies and supported people with health issues.

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 were treated with kindness and supported well. People were involved in care planning and review and felt their dignity was always respected. People’s choices and preferences were documented and taken into account when delivering care.

People were supported to access social activities if this was required. Complaints were addressed with appropriate actions and learning.

A positive, person-centred culture was promoted by the managers and staff at the service. People felt the manager was approachable and responsive. There was evidence of regular audits, satisfaction surveys and staff spot checks.

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 (published 25 July 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.