We carried out a review of the data available to us about Domiciliary Care Experts on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Domiciliary Care Experts, you can give feedback on this service.
Domiciliary Care Experts is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own home. At the time of the inspection, 51 people were using the service. Most people using the service were older people. However, the agency serves the whole population and a small number of people were young people with learning needs. The service was also registered for nursing care; however, they were not providing nursing care to people at the time of the inspection.
Not everyone who drew on 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
Feedback from people and their relatives was positive. One person said, “I am very happy with the service and have no concerns. This is the best thing about the service, it’s very well run and excellent.” One relative said, “The carers are very supportive. They treat [my relative] beautifully. I know [they] feel very safe.”
People were protected from the risk of abuse. There was enough staff to support people and people told us staff arrived on time. Staff knew how to support people safely where there were risk from health conditions or where equipment such as hoists were used.
There were sufficient levels of PPE and people told us staff wore this. Staff had appropriate infection control training. Medicines were managed safely. When incidents and accidents had occurred, these had been reported and action was taken to reduce the risk of re-occurrence.
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. For example, Staff had the information they needed to support people to make choices. Staff knew people had the right to make unwise decision.
People’s needs had been assessed. Where people needed support with eating and drinking this was in place. Staff had completed the training they needed to provide safe and effective support. Staff undertook an induction when they joined the service and received regular supervision. Where people needed support to access healthcare services this was in place.
People were supported by caring staff. Staff knew how to protect people’s privacy and dignity and promote people’s independence. Staff had time to talk with people and listen to them. People were involved in making decisions about their own care.
The support provided to people was focused around people’s individual needs. Care plans were regularly updated. People and their relatives were involved in these reviews. Where people had raised complaints, these had been addressed appropriately. Appropriate support was provided to people at the end of their lives.
Staff and people told us that the service was well managed. People and staff were asked for their views and had been listened to. Where changes were needed these had been undertaken. Regular audits of people’s care and support were undertaken. The service worked in partnership with other organisations to improve outcomes for people were this was needed. The manager had oversight of staff performance. Spot checks were undertaken to ensure staff were following correct procedures and practices.
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 20/06/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the length of time since the service registered with us.
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.