Archived: Dorset County Council - Community Support Services

People were happy with the service they received. One person said, 'Excellent service, a life line, a wonderful team of care workers, I don't think I could have managed without them.'

The service was responsive to people's needs and care was planned and delivered appropriately.

Arrangements were in place for the safe administration of medicines. We looked at arrangements for managing medicines in five people's homes, and reviewed the records of three further people. We saw that people were encouraged to take an active role in managing their medicines whenever possible and this was done safely and respectfully.

There were enough staff with the appropriate skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the people using the service. People told us that the staff who came to support them were skilled at their jobs. One person told us, 'They follow their policies and procedures, and they are all very good.' Another person said, 'They seem very competent and caring altogether.'

The provider had a system in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service that people received. People's views were considered as part of quality monitoring.

People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard. One care worker told us 'I am very proud to work for them. They supported me in the past when I had an illness'. Another care worker told us 'Always someone there to talk to whatever time your working'.

There was an effective complaints system available. Comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.

We found that people experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. People we spoke to were positive about the service that they received from the agency. One person told us 'The care is very good'.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.