18 May 2016
During a routine inspection
JackDawe Dementia homecare team is a domiciliary care agency that is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting 82 people across the city of Nottingham. The service supported people living with dementia as well as those people with complex needs.
JackDawe Dementia homecare team is required by the Care Quality Commission to have a registered manager. A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.
People were supported by staff to be safe. Support was provided by staff who were trained to recognise the signs of harm and understood what actions to take to protect people and keep them safe. Any risks were recognized, and managed through the use of risk plans. The risk plans told staff the best ways to try and keep people safe.
There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs, and people usually received support from the same staff members. The provider had carried out relevant checks to make sure staff were recruited safely.
People who needed support to take their medicines were assisted by staff that had been trained to administer medicines safely and staff had had their competency assessed so that they did this safely. Records showed medicines were given at the time people needed them, and were recorded in the correct way by staff and the medicine administration records (MAR).
People were supported by staff who had been trained to work under the guidance of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The MCA is the legal framework to ensure that where people are assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions for themselves, decisions are made in their best interests. Although most people using the service were deemed to have capacity to make everyday decisions, staff had received training in relation to Mental Capacity Act, and understood issues around consent and capacity.
People were supported by staff who understood their routines and needs, and who had the relevant training to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Staff received training, and accessed regular supervision and support to ensure they had the relevant skills to carry out their roles.
People were happy with the support they received, and were positive about the way staff supported and interacted with them. Staff clearly understood the needs and preferences of the people they were supporting. Staff spoke in a respectful and caring manner during discussions about the people they supported.
People felt involved in planning their care, and were involved in assessments before their support had started. People received care that was suitable for their needs, ensuring their preferences and choices were considered. Care records gave detailed information of exactly what support was required, and how it would be provided. Staff sought guidance and support from other healthcare professionals when necessary to ensure that people’s health care needs were met in a timely way.
The registered manager monitored people’s satisfaction with the support they received through a number of methods, including telephone calls, personal visits from senior staff, and satisfaction surveys. If people raised any complaints or concerns, the registered manager listened and responded appropriately to the issues raised.
There was a caring culture within the service, and staff spoke positively about the management and the leadership. Staff felt able to raise both suggestions and concerns with the management team, and trusted that any issues would be promptly acted upon.
Care plans and risk plans were regularly reviewed and amended when any changes to the person's needs had taken place. The service kept detailed records of accidents and incidents, including what actions had been taken in response.