Domiciliary Care South Devon

Updated 5 October 2018

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 was 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.

This inspection took place on 21 and 22 August 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a supported living service to people who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection. Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information held about the service. This included notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to tell us about by law. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asked the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

On the first day of the inspection, we visited the service's office to review documentation relating to people's care and support needs, staff recruitment and training and look at how the service ensured the safety and quality of the support provided to people. We met with the registered manager, senior area manager for United Response, line manager, project manager for multimedia and technology, business engagement manager, four team leaders and two support workers and spoke to another support worker on the telephone following the inspection. During the second day of our inspection, we visited people in their own homes and at their work placements. We spoke with four people who used the service. Following the inspection, we spoke with three relatives over the telephone. We also received feedback from three health and social care professionals.

Updated 5 October 2018

Domicilary Care South Devon is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides care and support to people with learning disabilities living in 'supported living' settings, so that they can live in their own homes as independently as possible. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living. Not everyone who uses the service receives a 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. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting twenty-six people in a supported living setting.

This inspection took place on 21 and 22 August 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours' notice because the location was a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone would be present in the office.

The service has been developed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. By following these principles, services can support people with learning disabilities and autism to live as ordinary a life as any other citizen.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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 told us they felt safe and comfortable with the staff that supported them. All of the people we met looked relaxed and happy. When we asked one person if they felt safe with staff they told us, “Yes definitely.” People were protected from the risks of abuse and harm. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to recognise signs of potential abuse. They understood how to report any concerns in line with the service's safeguarding policy and were confident any issues would be dealt with thoroughly.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who treated them with dignity and respect. People's individuality was respected and encouraged. Support plans emphasised people's abilities and reminded staff to promote people's independence. Support plans were informative, detailed and reflected people's choices, aspirations and personalities. Each area of the plan reflected how the person wished to receive their care and support, described the person’s skills and the support they needed from staff.

People were supported to live life the way they wanted to, and staff knew people's interests and how they preferred to spend their time. Every element of the care and support that staff provided was focused upon the preferences, aspirations and needs of people using the service. Social needs of people were given as much importance as people's physical needs. Staff recognised that social interaction improved people's wellbeing and promoted a positive emotional response.

Support plans contained person-centred risk assessments. These identified risks and described the measures to be taken to ensure people would be protected from the risk of harm. This supported people to do the things they wanted to live their life fully. Where risks had been identified, management plans were developed to help ensure support staff knew how to support people safely.

Recruitment procedures were robust and records demonstrated the service had carried out checks to help ensure staff employed were suitable for their role. Staff received appropriate training and support to effectively provide safe care and treatment. Newly appointed staff undertook a comprehensive induction programme, shadowed more experienced staff, and did not work alone until managers were confident they had the right skills to carry out their role.

People's rights were upheld because staff displayed a good understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DoLS). People were encouraged to make choices and were involved in the care and support they received. Staff told us they would always respect people's decisions.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to voice their concerns if they were unhappy with the care they received. People's feedback was valued and acted on. There was visible leadership within the service and a clear management structure. The service had an effective quality assurance system in place to help identify areas of improvement and enable the provider to address them promptly.