Background to this inspection
Updated
3 February 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of 2 inspectors (including a pharmacy specialist) 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.
Service and service type
The service is a domiciliary care service and supported living service. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It also provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings, so they can live as independently as possible. 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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there were 5 registered managers in post with responsibility for different localities.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to get permission from people to visit them in their home. We also needed to be sure a registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 27 October 2022 and ended on 14 November 2022. We visited the location’s services on both dates.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who support the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 2 people and 6 relatives about their experiences of the care provided. We spoke with 10 staff members including support workers, 2 registered managers and the north east area operations director. We reviewed a range of records, including care records for 3 people and medicines records. We also looked at the recruitment records of 2 staff and records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.
We also used technology such as electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.
Updated
3 February 2023
About the service
Dimensions Tyneside Domiciliary Care Office provides domiciliary care services and a supported living service that provide care to 34 people including those with a learning disability and autistic people at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
Right Support: Positive risk taking was encouraged and people were supported to access the local community with risk assessments. 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.
Right Care: Staff worked with other healthcare professionals and attended joint meetings with those responsible for other aspects of people's care to help ensure that people achieved positive outcomes.
Right Culture: Staff spoke positively about the organisation’s values. They were passionate about promoting independence and person-centred care.
Safeguarding systems were in place and staff knew how to raise concerns. Risk assessments were in place to help people to live independent lives. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs. There were systems and processes in place to minimise the spread of infection. Systems were in place for reviewing accidents and incidents, lessons learned were shared with staff.
Medicines record keeping was not always accurately completed, however staff assessed and supported people to take medicines safely. We have made a recommendation about this.
We found staff promoted inclusion, equality and diversity and people and their relatives were involved in decision making about their care. Registered managers sought feedback in regular meetings attended by those receiving care.
Independent living was encouraged by supporting people to care for themselves if possible. People were supported accessing the community and developing plans to help achieve their goals, such as employment and maintaining personal relationships.
People and their relatives were involved in their support plans and reviews. Staff supported peoples’ communication needs (this included staff learning sign language and easy read documents being made available). The provider’s complaints, concerns and compliments policy were also available in different formats and we saw evidence of concerns being investigated and responded to.
Staff spoke positively about the values of the service promoting person centred care and supporting people’s independence. The provider had good working relationships with external professionals involved in people’s care.
Quality monitoring tools and audits were in place as well as a designated quality audit team. Registered managers used surveys to gather feedback on the service provided. This included specific staff feedback and working with experts by experience who visited to speak to people about their support.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 9 September 2021 and this was the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.