Diligent Care Services

Updated 27 March 2018

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.

The inspection took place on 10 January 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides personal care to people in their own homes and we needed to be sure someone was in.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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 reviewed the completed PIR and previous inspection reports before the inspection.

We reviewed other information we had about the provider, including notifications of any safeguarding or other incidents affecting the safety and well-being of people using the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

We spoke with six people and two relatives. We spoke with 13 staff members including nine support workers, three office managers and the registered manager.

We looked at four people’s care and support plans and other documents relating to their care including risk assessments and healthcare documents. We looked at other records held by the service including six staff files, health and safety documents, quality audits and surveys. We also spoke with three social care professionals who had regular contact with the organisation.

Updated 27 March 2018

This inspection took place on 10 January 2018. We gave the provider two days’ notice that we would be visiting their head office as we wanted to make sure they were available on the day of our inspection.

Diligent Care Services is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community and to people living in ‘supported living’ settings. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

Diligent Care Service provides support to adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and people who experience mental and emotional distress. At the time of this inspection there were 60 people using the service. Of those people 17 were receiving support with personal care. The provision of personal care is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

At our last comprehensive inspection in November 2015 the service was rated ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ with some outstanding elements.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

People told us they were well treated by the staff and felt safe with them.

Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse and understood their responsibilities in keeping people safe. Staff knew people were at risk of discrimination and people must be treated with respect. Staff were aware of the relevant legislation that protected people from discrimination.

Where risks to people’s safety had been identified ways to mitigate these risks had been discussed with the person and recorded so staff knew how to support the person safely.

The service was following appropriate recruitment procedures to make sure only suitable staff were employed.

Staff had completed training in the management of medicines and understood what they should and should not do when supporting people or prompting people with their medicines.

Staff were provided with the training they required in order to support people safely and effectively.

Staff offered choices to people as they were supporting them and people were involved in making decisions about their care. People confirmed they were involved as much as they wanted to be in the planning of their care and support.

Care plans included the views of people using the service. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The management and support staff responded quickly and appropriately to any changes in people’s needs and care plans reflected people’s current needs and preferences.

People told us they had no complaints about the service but said they felt able to raise any concerns without worry if necessary.

The service was led by an experienced and skilled registered manager who provided a stable and consistent management style where people felt supported and included in the running of the service.

People who used the service, their relatives and the staff who supported them said they felt valued by the registered manager and by everyone who worked at the service.

Staff were proud to work for the service and said the registered manager was an excellent leader and role model.

The registered manager worked in partnership with other relevant organisations and used their feedback and feedback from quality monitoring systems to reflect on and make improvements to service provision.