Background to this inspection
Updated
23 March 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.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of an inspector and inspection manager, and 2 Experts 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
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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 was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 12 January 2023 and ended on 10 February 2023. We visited the location’s office on 18 January 2023.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authorities who work with the service.
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) in relation to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the management team, including the registered manager, deputy manager and regional operations director. We also spoke with 4 support workers, a supervisor and the communications manager. In addition to this we also spoke with 12 people who used the service and 16 family members. We looked at policies and documents relating to staff and the management of the service.
Updated
23 March 2023
About the service
Dale Care - Durham and Gateshead Homecare is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were approximately 1,000 people using the service. The service supports older people, younger people and people with learning disabilities.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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: Staff aided people to live as independently as possible. 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.
Whilst the provider had met challenges in recruiting and retaining staff, the management team had taken steps to offer incentives to improve this and provide sufficient staffing to meet people’s needs. Risks were assessed and a culture was in place where staff felt comfortable in raising concerns if they had them. People were supported to take medicines safely.
Staff were given appropriate training to do their roles. People were supported to eat and drink balanced diets. Staff supported people in accessing health services when required and people were involved in making choices about their care.
Right Care: Staff had the correct values, skills and experience to support the people who used the service.
People's support plans recognised their differences and people were treated with dignity and respect by staff. People using the service were able to express their own views either by themselves or with the help of their support workers.
The communication needs of people who used the service were assessed and considered. This information was shared with other healthcare providers when necessary. When things went wrong, actions were put into place and lessons learned were shared with staff to improve the standard of care delivered.
Right Culture: Staff understood and spoke positively about the importance of person-centred care and helping people to live as independently as they wished. The management team understood their roles and responsibilities. The management team sought feedback from people using the service, their relatives and staff.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 5 November 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection took place as this is a newly registered service which we had not yet rated.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.