We carried out a review of the data available to us about Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency Crewe 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 Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency Crewe, you can give feedback on this service.
Belong at Home DCA, Crewe, provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of this inspection there were 31 people receiving a regulated activity, both on -site in apartments and in the local community.
At the time of inspection there was no registered manager in post. The service were actively recruiting and have appointed a manager who has applied to register.
People's experience of using this service:
A proactive approach to fitness had some exceptional outcomes. The on-site gym facilities had innovative technologies which supported people to improve their health and wellbeing, above and beyond what people expected. People had regained their mobility and independence, lost weight and reduced the need for some medicines or aids as a result.
An experience co-ordinator provided people with opportunities to follow their interests by re-engaging with them and providing support for people to run their own interest groups and activities. In addition, the experience coordinator provided people with support to transition into or out of services gradually.
Without exception, people we spoke with praised the exceptionally kind and caring nature of their staff. People felt valued and respected by staff who promoted their dignity and wellbeing. Staff had received training in equality and diversity and were knowledgeable about protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act 2010. People were encouraged to celebrate their identity. Some people had been supported to attend ‘Silver pride’.
Without exception people praised the quality of the service they received from Belong at Home DCA. People told us they felt safe and were supported by skilled staff who went above and beyond to ensure their needs had been met as they preferred. People praised the way staff actively looked for anything additional they could do during a visit.
End of life care was available from trained staff, the service worked together with community- based health staff and other parts of the organisation, on site, to maximise the potential for people to remain at home if they wished.
The service was well-led, there was a clear commitment to delivering high-quality person-centred care which reflected people's aspirations, hopes and needs. Though there was not a registered manager in post, an area manager had fulfilled this role while the recruitment process was being followed to ensure continuity for the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at ww.cqc.org.uk
Rating at the last inspection:
The last rating for this service was outstanding. (published October 2016).
Why we inspected:
We carried out this inspection based on the previous rating of the service.
Follow up:
We will continue to review information we receive about the service until we return to visit as part of our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
Belong at Home Domiciliary Service Crewe is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. The agency operates from an office within a Belong at Home Village and has disabled access. The Belong at Home Village is a building which incorporates nursing and residential accommodation alongside community facilities which are open to the public as well as people receiving care from the registered provider.
People who use the services of the domiciliary care service also have access to the facilities within the Belong village including a hair dressers, gym and adapted bathroom. At the time of inspection the service was supporting 30 people and employed ten staff to provide 220 hours of support on a weekly basis.
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 service was last inspected in February 2014. We identified no concerns and found the service was meeting all standards we assessed.
At this inspection visit carried out in August 2016 people spoke positively about the quality of service provided. People repeatedly told us staffing levels met their needs and staff went the extra mile to help people. Staff were constantly referred to as ‘kind’ and ‘caring.’ People who used the service, relatives and health professionals commended staff knowledge. They told us they were confident and assured that people who used the service were supported by competent staff.
There was a great emphasis on recruiting staff with shared values and beliefs in order to deliver high quality care alongside the service mission statement. Staff we spoke with were strongly committed to making a difference. They spoke passionately and proudly about the people they supported and were able to discuss ways in which they had made a gone the extra mile to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
There was an emphasis on creating positive health outcomes for people who used the service. Health care needs were met in a proactive manner. A holistic approach was taken to meet people’s health care needs. The service addressed psychological and social needs alongside physical health. People told us their wellbeing had improved since they started receiving a service from Belong at Home Domiciliary Service Crewe.
The service worked in partnership with other care professionals to meet needs and referred to best practice guidance when developing care plans. Health professionals we spoke with repeatedly praised the standard of care provided and described the service as professional and reliable.
There was a strong emphasis on ensuring people’s dietary needs were consistently met. A health professional with an interest in diet and nutrition spoke confidently about the skills of the staff and their ability to meet people’s dietary requirements. They told us the service worked innovatively to meet people’s nutritional needs within a person centred way. Staff knowledge was praised in regards to meeting people’s dietary needs.
People who used the service were supported to attend activities within the Belong at Home Village, if they wished. There was a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere within the community area which allowed people to feel comfortable and relaxed. People were enthusiastic about the service offered within the Village community and the opportunities made available to them.
Staff recognised the importance of friendship and socialisation and encouraged people to be part of their local communities. People were supported to attend classes and connect with their community. This created a sense of belonging for people, increasing confidence and self-worth.
Staffing levels were flexible and responsive to need. There was a strong emphasis on promoting independence and empowering people wherever possible.
Training was provided for staff to enable them to carry out their tasks proficiently. Staff training was monitored and training was provided when training needs were identified. Staff praised the training on offer and said they were encouraged to develop their own interests within the workplace. We noted staff were eager to learn and improve their knowledge in order to provide more effective care.
There was an emphasis on developing staff potential within a positive learning environment to
create a high quality service. Staff were encouraged to become champions in their field of interest. There were three champions in place at the time of the inspection visit. Champions had received additional training and skills in their specific areas. Skills were then shared within the staff team to create more positive outcomes for people who used the service.
Suitable recruitment procedures meant staff were correctly vetted before starting employment. Checks on staff were refreshed throughout employment to ensure staff were still suitable for working with vulnerable people.
People were protected from risk of abuse. People told us they felt safe and secure. Staff had knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were aware of their responsibilities for reporting any concerns.
Staff promoted a person centred approach to risk. This enabled people to take calculated risks which enhanced their well-being.
Suitable arrangements were in place for managing and administering medicines. People were encouraged to self-administer medicines where appropriate. Risks were assessed and managed to enable people to maintain independence when administering their own medicines. Regular medicines audits were carried out to ensure medicines were administered appropriately to promote safe and effective care.
Staff retention was good and people said they benefited from staff who knew them well. Agency staff were not used as it was recognised this could have a negative impact upon people who received the service.
Staff were positive about ways in which the service was managed and the support received from the management team. They described a positive working environment with high levels of job satisfaction. Communication within the service was described as ‘good.’ We noted there was a vibrant atmosphere within the service.
Leadership within the organisation was strong. Managers had a clear vision of what was required of a quality service and this dissipated throughout the organisation. All staff were respectful of management and demonstrated a commitment to working towards the shared values of the organisation.
The registered manager had implemented a range of assurance systems to monitor quality and effectiveness of the service provided. Feedback was gained from all parties as a means to develop and improve the service.
We found that there were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. Staff spoken with informed us that they had received a through induction and that additional training was provided to support them in their roles.
Staff had received training and were aware of the providers infection control policy and procedures.
Information about how to complain or comment was clearly explained in the service user guide that was given to everyone when they start using the service. People spoken with told us they had had no cause to complain.
We did not speak with people who used the service during this inspection.
During our inspection we spoke with the general manager for Belong Village Crewe and the acting coordinator for Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency Crewe.
We saw that areas that may affect the health and welfare of people who used the service were identified and appropriate action taken to ensure people's safety and welfare was maintained
We saw copies of people's care records, called My Support Plan, which showed that reviews were held with the people who used the service .
The general manager told us that the quality assurance manager for CLS Care Services carried out monitoring visits of the agency. However, we did not see a record of the visits during our inspection.
There were comprehensive policies and procedures available that provided guidance for the staff on maintaining and improving the quality of care for the people who used the service.
We saw a copy of the findings from a customer survey which was dated March 2012. Overall, the findings of the surveys were that people were generally satisfied with the service offered by Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency Crewe.
There were policies and procedures in place where people who used the service and others could raise concerns about the service offered.
The people we spoke with who use the service were very positive about the care and support they received. They told us the service was reliable, prompt and that staff arrived on time. People told us that staff provide the support that meets their needs and that 'nothing is to much trouble for them'. One person told us 'the service is excellent' and that without it they may not be able to continue living in their home.
During our inspection we spoke with people who use the service, they told us that that staff treat them with respect and that they have no concerns about their safety or well-being. They also told us they knew what to do if they had any concerns or worries and were confident they would be listened to.
We also spoke with a relative who told us they were confident that people who use the service were kept safe and well. They also told us they knew what to do if they had any concerns or worries and were confident they would be listened to.
One person told us that staff 'often stay over the agreed amount of time with them'. Another person told us that staff 'do what they were supposed to do and more if they have the time'. They told us that that the co-ordinator for the service contacts them, either by phone or by visiting them, to ensure they were happy with the service.
A family member told us they were satisfied that their relative was 'in safe hands' when receiving support from the staff.