DK Home Support

Updated 18 December 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 was planned to check 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.

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of DK Home Support on 29 October, 02, 05 and 07 November 2018. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

The first day of inspection was announced and we carried out telephone calls to relatives and staff on the following three days of inspection. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the service provides a domiciliary care service and we had to make sure staff would be in.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they play to make. We also reviewed the information that we held about the service. This included any statutory notifications received. Statutory notifications are specific pieces of information about events that happen within the service, which the provider is required to send to us by law.

Prior to our inspection we sought feedback from the local authority contracts monitoring and safeguarding adults’ teams, and reviewed the information they provided. We also contacted Healthwatch, who are the independent consumer champion for people who use health and social care services to obtain their feedback. We used the feedback gathered from these parties to inform our inspection and judgements.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people who used service, three relatives and seven members of staff including both registered managers, a training co-ordinator and support staff. We reviewed the care records for eight people and the recruitment records for four members of staff. We reviewed documentation and had discussions with people who used the service, their relatives, and staff.

Updated 18 December 2018

DK Home Support is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to a range of people including those living with dementia, physical disabilities and people receiving end of life care. At the time of inspection there were 72 people receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

At the last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

The service was previously registered at a different address and this is the first inspection at the provider’s new address.

There were two registered managers in post who had been registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) since June 2012. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Both registered managers were aware of their responsibilities and they were also the owners of the service. There was a robust electronic governance system in place to continually monitor, analyse and improve the service. Real-time audits of the service were accessible and the registered managers regularly monitored these on a daily basis. Notifications were submitted to the Commission appropriately.

People were supported to maintain social relationships and were supported to attend activities that they had chosen in the community. People told us that staff were caring and respectful whilst carrying out personal care. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of people and their relatives, what people liked and disliked and the best way to support each person.

People had personal and environmental risk assessments in their care files, to ensure the safety of staff and people. Care plans were person-centred and people, their relatives and advocates had all been involved in their care planning and consented to the care provided. The service worked in partnership with health professionals, for example the district nursing team and palliative care team, to ensure people received a high level of quality care. People were supported with their diet and to make well balanced meals. People were regularly asked for their choices for the type of support they received, for example social visits and types of personal care, and for annual feedback.

There were policies and procedures in place to keep people safe. Staffing levels reflected the needs of people and the service had recently recruited additional staff to support people as their needs changed. Staff were recruited safely and were provided with an in-depth induction. The training team at the service continuously assessed the skills of staff and provided an on-going training programme, which was delivered face to face or via e-learning. The service provided information to staff on best practice guidance and legislation. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.

Medicines were safely managed. Staff supported people with their medication. There was a business continuity plan in place to enable people to receive their care in emergency situations.

There was a comprehensive complaints and compliments policy in place at the service. People told us they knew how to raise a complaint. No complaints had been received at the service but the registered managers told us what action would be taken if one was received. Some people receiving the regulated activity were accessing an advocate, and the service promoted and supported the advocacy service. People received service user guides which included information about the service, safeguarding and complaints.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.