Background to this inspection
Updated
17 December 2020
The inspection
As part of a pilot into virtual inspections of domiciliary and extra-care housing services, the Care Quality Commission conducted an inspection of this provider on 10 and 11 November 2020. The inspection was carried out with the consent of the provider and was part of a pilot to gather information to inform CQC whether it might be possible to conduct inspections in a different way in the future. We completed this inspection using virtual methods and online tools such as electronic file sharing, video calls and phone calls to gather the information we rely on to form a judgement on the care and support provided. At no time did we visit the provider’s or location’s office as we usually would when conducting an inspection.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector, one medicines inspector 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
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave a period of notice of the inspection because we had to arrange how we could securely share information and arrange interviews with staff and people who used the service.
Inspection activity started on 10 November 2020 and ended on 11 November 2020.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we made arrangements with the registered manager about how we could share information securely and requested a number of records for the first day of the inspection. We also asked the registered manager to contact people and staff to give them opportunities to share feedback with us and arrange video and telephone interviews.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection-
We spoke with nine people and 19 relatives by phone. We also received emails from four relatives of people who used the service. We spoke with 11 members of staff by video link and received feedback from a further two staff members by email. One ex member of staff also contacted us by email.
We reviewed a range of records. These included four care plans, samples of medication administration records and care plans relating to medicines, samples of staff meetings and staff supervisions and observed practices.
We spoke with the registered manager throughout the inspection by video link and spoke briefly with the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
Updated
17 December 2020
This report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the Provider.
About the service
Dunster Lodge Domiciliary Care is an agency which provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the agency was providing care to 73 people.
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
People were supported by an agency with exceptional leadership. This led to people receiving a service which was person centred, reliable and always looking for ways to improve the care people received. Everyone we spoke with said they would recommend the service to others.
People received their care safely from well trained and competent staff. Staff were matched to people and were able to build trusting relationships which helped to make them feel safe.
Staff felt well supported which led to a happy and well-motivated team. The agency had adapted to new ways of working during the pandemic. Staff had received additional training and support which had resulted in no disruption to the service people received.
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.
People were treated with kindness and respect and involved in all decisions about their care. Staff were respectful of people’s wishes and care was provided in accordance with people’s preferences and needs.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Outstanding (report published 29 September 2017)
Why we inspected
This was a planned pilot virtual inspection. The report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the Provider.
The pilot inspection considered the key questions of safe and well-led and provides a rating for those key questions. Only parts of the effective, caring and responsive key questions were considered, and therefore the ratings for these key questions are those awarded at the last inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dunster Lodge Domiciliary Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.