We carried out a review of the data available to us about Lancaster & Morecambe Domiciliary Service 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 Lancaster & Morecambe Domiciliary Service, you can give feedback on this service.
At the time of our inspection there were 19 supported living homes and 53 people who received support from the service.
At the last inspection in March 2016 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service had not changed since our last inspection.
There was a registered manager in place. 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.
The management team had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report unsafe care or abusive practices.
Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care and within supported houses. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.
Staff had been recruited safely, appropriately trained and supported. They had skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs.
Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. This was confirmed by talking with staff and the management team. Medication records checked were accurate and up to date in the supported houses we visited.
People in supported houses were supported to have access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs had been met. Care plans looked at reflected this.
Care plans were organised and had identified the care and support people required. We found they were personalised and informative about care people received. They had been kept under review and updated when necessary. They reflected any risks and people’s changing needs.
Staff had received food and hygiene training to ensure they were confident when preparing meals. People who lived at the houses were complimentary about the food provided and their involvement in the preparation of meals. One person said, “I love the meals we all choose what we want.” Also, “I help out with shopping I like to do that.”
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
People’s care and support was planned with them. People told us they had been consulted and listened to about how their care would be delivered.
People and relatives we spoke with told us staff them treated them with respect and dignity.
People were supported to follow their chosen interests and hobbies. For example some people attended college, others participated in some voluntary work. Others attended events in the local community.
People who used the service and their relatives knew how to raise a complaint and who to speak with. The management team had kept a record of complaints received and these had been responded to in a timely manner.
The management team used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service they provided. For example they included regular staff meetings, management team meetings and each property had resident/house meetings. Surveys were also sent to relatives and staff to complete every year.
The service provides domiciliary care 24 hours a day in 19 supported houses where people live. Support is provided for people who live with a learning disability. The location of the homes are based around the Lancaster and Morecambe area. The office is based at the Lancashire County Council building in Lancaster. At the time of the inspection the service provided support for 56 people.
There was a registered manager in place. 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. The management of the service was by two registered managers.
This was the first inspection since the change of their registration with the care Quality Commission (CQC).
We found recruitment procedures were safe with appropriate checks completed. Staff spoken with told us their recruitment had been thorough and until all checks had been completed they could not commence employment.
People were kept safe and secure in the supported houses where they lived. There were appropriate numbers of staff deployed to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service.
The registered managers had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report any unsafe care or abusive practices.
Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. Staff administered medicines as prescribed and entered, stored and disposed of them correctly.
The registered managers understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.
Staff knew the people they supported and provided a personalised service. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be cared for. People who lived in the houses were involved in making decisions about their care.
Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs.
People were supported to eat and drink and were encouraged to attend to their own dietary requirements as much as possible. However support and meal provision was provided in some houses.
Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs.
When we visited the houses where people lived we found they were supported by caring staff who were respectful and compassionate. One person we spoke with who lived in one of the houses said, “They are all kind to me.”
The service had a complaints procedure which was made available to people they supported. The agency had developed a leaflet that which was in picture form to inform people of the process for making a complaint.
The registered managers used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included satisfaction surveys, spot check and care reviews. We found people were satisfied with the service they were receiving.