4 November 2019
During a routine inspection
Direct Personnel Agency Limited is a domiciliary care service. It is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes in the community, including older people and people living with dementia. The service operates in various locations in Lincolnshire. At the time of our inspection, approximately 20 people were receiving a personal care service.
People’s experience of using this service:
The provider was exceptionally kind and caring and often went far beyond formal contractual requirements to promote people's welfare and happiness. Staff at all levels understood people’s individual care needs and preferences and used this knowledge to provide them with flexible, responsive support.
Staff worked in a non-discriminatory way and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and independence. The provider took care to involve people and their relatives in planning and reviewing their care and to deploy staffing resources in accordance with their individual preferences. People were provided with food and drink of their choice which met their nutritional requirements.
Training and supervision systems were in place to provide staff with the knowledge and skills they required to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff worked together in a mutually supportive way and communicated effectively with a range of external organisations.
Systems were in place to ensure effective infection prevention and control and people's medicines were managed safely in line with their individual needs and preferences. Staff worked collaboratively with local health and social care services to ensure people had access to any support they required.
Staff were aware of people’s rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and supported people to have maximum choice and control of their lives, in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People’s individual risk assessments were reviewed and updated to take account of changes in their needs. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns to keep people safe from harm.
The service was well-managed and well-led. The registered managers provided open, supportive leadership and were respected and appreciated by their team. A range of audits was in place to monitor the quality and safety of service provision. There was organisational learning from significant events and any complaints were managed effectively. The provider was committed to the continuous improvement of the service in the future.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
The last rating for this service was Good (published 22 June 2017).
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.