Danny's Dream Club

Updated 10 July 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.

The inspection took place on 9 and 10 May 2018 and was announced. The provider was given notice because we needed to ensure somebody would be available to assist us with the inspection. This was a routine inspection as we had rated the service as 'Good' at the last inspection. We had not received any information of concern since the last inspection.

Before our inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service, such as safeguarding information and notifications we had received from the provider. Statutory notifications are when registered providers send us information about certain changes, events or incidents that occur.

As part of the inspection planning process we contacted the local council commissioners and safeguarding team for their feedback. In addition to this we reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

The first day of inspection was carried out by one 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. Day two was completed by one inspector.

We visited the site location at the club and one person in their own home (with their permission). We spoke with three people using the service, five relatives, four staff (including personal assistants and advanced care practitioners), the manager and one healthcare professional. We reviewed information about people's care and how the service was managed. This included four people's care plans, three staff recruitment files, staff training files, staff supervision records and audits. We received feedback via email from two further healthcare professionals.

Updated 10 July 2018

This announced inspection was carried out on the 9 and 10 May 2018.

Danny’s Dream is a domiciliary care agency owned by Goodwin Development Trust. The agency provides personal care to a range of young and older adults who have learning disabilities and/or complex health needs living in their own homes. A mixture of domiciliary care and social support is offered. The service also provides a 'club' for people receiving a service to use, which was included in most people’s care packages funded by the local authority or health service. At the time of our inspection 30 people were using the service, 17 of those were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

The service has been developed and designed 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.

There was a manager employed by the service, and they were in the process of submitting their application for registering with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

At our last inspection in August 2015 we rated the service as good in safe, effective, caring and well led with outstanding in responsive. This gave an overall rating of good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the previous ratings of good in safe, effective and well led, with outstanding in responsive. Caring had also now improved to outstanding. This means the service’s overall rating is now outstanding.

Danny’s Dream was run with people at the heart of the service. It continued to be outstanding in the way it responded to people's changing needs and put people first at all times. Staff worked collaboratively with other professionals to ensure people received care that enabled them to live as full and independent a life as possible.

The culture of the service was designed around person centred care and valuing people. We found the manager and staff team had continued to develop creative ways in ensuring people had access to a range of activities within the club and in the wider community.

The service was exceptionally caring. People using the service, their relatives and healthcare professionals spoke extremely positively about the caring and compassionate nature of the staff. People and their staff had developed highly positive and caring relationships that took into account people's individual needs and interests. The manager and staff were very proud of the support they provided and the positive outcomes that people had achieved.

Systems were in place that helped keep people safe from harm and abuse. People told us they felt safe. Where risks were identified, action had been taken to manage them for people's safety. Staff were recruited safely and there were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. People received their medicines safely from trained and competent staff.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems at the service supported this practice.

Staff received training and supervision to support them in their role and attended some team meetings to share and receive information. Staff told us they felt supported by the management team.

Staff supported people to eat and drink sufficient for their needs. Staff worked both together within the service and across organisations to deliver people's care and treatment. People were well supported by staff with their healthcare needs.

Staff respected people and their homes and encouraged people to uphold their independence wherever possible. Staff understood people's individuals care needs, their preferences and what was important to them.

The service had a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to make a complaint.

Staff were passionate about their work and feedback from people, their relatives and healthcare professionals about the quality of care provided was very positive.

Processes were in place to enable the provider to monitor the quality of the service and to identify any areas for improvement.