Domiciliary Care and PRIME Service

Updated 1 March 2019

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.

Inspection site visit activity started on 23 January 2019 and ended on 31 January 2019. It included a visit to the provider’s office on both these dates to speak with the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. The inspection was announced. One adult social care inspector and an expert by experience formed the inspection team. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using, or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

During our inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service and fifteen family members. In addition to the registered manager, we also spoke with the service manager, domiciliary care manager, two enablement officers, area supervisor, four care staff and one healthcare professional. We looked at the care records of eight people who used the service and the personnel files for four members of staff.

Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, statutory notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send to CQC by law. We contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service and contacted Healthwatch. Healthwatch is the local consumer champion for health and social care services. They give consumers a voice by collecting their views, concerns and compliments through their engagement work. Information provided by these professionals was used to inform the inspection.

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 plan to make.

Updated 1 March 2019

This inspection took place on 23 and 31 January 2019 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to speak with and show us records.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides long term domiciliary care, short term reablement services and rapid response to provide assistance to people in crisis.

Not everyone using Domiciliary Care and Prime Service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

On the days of our inspection there were 173 people using the service.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good. 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.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. Staff understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and had been trained in adult protection.

Checks were carried out to ensure staff were following the providers policies and procedures when delivering care and support to people.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.

There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of people. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

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.

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition. People had access to health and social care specialists.

People and family members were complimentary about the standard of care provided by Domiciliary and Care PRIME Service.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect. Supporting people to regain their independence was a key aspect of the provider’s reablement service. People’s plans and wishes for their end of life care was recorded when necessary.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred means ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support and their individual wishes, needs and choices were considered.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place, and people were aware of how to make a complaint.

The provider had a robust quality assurance process in place. Staff said they felt supported by the registered manager. People, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings, reviews and surveys.