Background to this inspection
Updated
2 May 2019
The inspection:
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) 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 Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
Our inspection was completed by one inspector.
Service and service type:
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
The accommodation consisted of 44 flats and five bungalows, situated on one site, known locally as Dora Matthews House. The main building (flats) has a communal lounge, cinema room, laundry and shop, staff and office rooms. The registered manager is based in the on-site office and one sleep-in staff member is on-site overnight. Not all people living at Dora Matthews House receive personal care.
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:
The inspection was unannounced.
What we did:
Before the inspection: We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included previous inspection reports and details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse. We used information the provider sent us in their Provider Information Return. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection: We spoke with five people who use the service and one person’s relative. We reviewed feedback the service received in 2018 and observed staff interacting with people. We spoke with the registered manager, three care staff and a visiting social care professional. We read a report by Inclusion Gloucestershire. (This charity works on behalf of people with disabilities, to ensure they have a voice and any needs related to protected characteristics, set out in the Equality Act, are met by the service.) We reviewed three people's care records, the staff rota, recruitment, training and supervision records. We checked complaint and incident/accident logs, handover and medicines records and a selection of audits and policies.
Following the inspection: We sought feedback from a range of health and social care professionals and other community-based professionals. We received feedback from four health and social care professionals and a representative of the local police service.
Updated
2 May 2019
About the service: Gloucestershire Domiciliary Care Branch is a domiciliary care, extra care and supported living service that was providing personal care to 27 adults at the time of the inspection.
The service provided personal care to adults with a range of support needs. The accommodation, which is not regulated by the Care Quality Commission, is known as Dora Matthews House.
People’s experience of using this service:
¿ We received positive feedback about the service and the support people received. One person told us, “I feel really safe and happy here. I don’t want to move again”.
¿ Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and understood provider policies for reporting and recording concerns. Staff knew when and how to involve external agencies.
¿ Risks to people had been assessed. Staff followed people’s support plans to keep them safe.
¿ People were protected from unsuitable staff through safe recruitment and induction practices.
¿ Staffing levels were maintained according to people’s funded hours. A ‘sleep-in’ staff member was available overnight to provide support in the event of an emergency.
¿ People received appropriate support to take and/or order their medicines safely.
¿ Health and safety and infection control risks were monitored. The registered manager supported people to address tenancy related issues with their landlord.
¿ People’s heath related needs and risks, such as diabetes, were managed with appropriate support from health care professionals.
¿ People were encouraged to live healthy lives. Where staff were responsible for preparing people’s meals, people were supported to eat a balanced diet. People could exercise regularly and many enjoyed the ‘Oomph!’ activity sessions.
¿ The service had a visible person-centred culture. People were valued as individuals and the service they received was tailored to their needs.
¿ People were supported by caring staff who enjoyed their work, felt supported in their role and whose performance was regularly checked.
¿ People were involved in planning their care and their relatives were informed, involved and consulted appropriately. People felt respected and listened to.
¿ People living at the service were encouraged to be part of the ‘Dora Matthews’ community and their psychological and social needs were considered.
¿ Staff had completed specialist training to enable them to support people’s needs.
¿ People benefitted from a service where inclusion was the norm.
¿ Effective quality monitoring systems were in place and regular audits and checks supported the registered manager to identify concerns promptly and take action to improve the service.
Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated ‘Good’. (This report was published on 5 August 2016.)
Why we inspected: We inspected this service as part of our ongoing Adult Social Care inspection programme. This was a planned inspection based on the previous ‘Good’ rating. Previous CQC ratings and the time since the last inspection were also taken into consideration.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk