27 May 2021
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Direct Care (Kent) is a domiciliary agency providing care and support to people in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care to 19 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us, “As far as I’m concerned there is nothing they could do better. They are all marvellous. They encourage me and can pick up if you’re not feeling so grand.”
People were supported by a core staff team that enabled them to form good professional relationships. People we spoke to, and evidence reviewed, supported people had care from regular staff.
Risks to health and safety of people were appropriately assessed. Plans and guidance were in place for staff to mitigate these. Peoples medicines were managed in safe ways and there were clear policies in place to ensure this continued.
The registered managers had completed comprehensive background checks of staff before they started work with a fully supported induction process to ensure staff were confident to support people. Staff received appropriate training and received regular supervisions and appraisals. The registered managers completed unannounced supervisions to ensure care staff were working to their standards.
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.
People’s care plans were detailed and person centred. Care plans were regularly reviewed throughout the year and were reviewed if changes in peoples needs were identified.
There was a clear management structure in place at the service and people and staff we spoke with were able to tell us the processes for raising concerns or complaints. Feedback about the registered managers was that they were approachable, fair and reactive to things raised to them.
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 31 December 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 14-15 November 2019. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), Regulation 17 (Good Governance) and Regulation 18 (Staffing).
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Direct Care (Kent) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.