11, 13 June 2012
During a themed inspection looking at Domiciliary Care Services
We carried out a themed inspection looking at domiciliary care services on 11 and 13 June 2012. We asked people to tell us what it was like to receive services from this home care agency as part of a targeted inspection programme of domiciliary care agencies. We paid particular regard to how people's dignity was upheld and how they can make choices about their care.
The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector and joined by an Expert by Experience who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.We used telephone interviews and home visits to people who use the service and to their main carers (relatives or friends) to gain views about the service.
We visited four people in their homes and spoke to three relatives of the people we had visited. We spoke on the telephone to another thirteen people who used this service. We also looked at three postal surveys completed by people who used this service and their friends or relatives. In addition we spoke with five care workers and two senior managers from the service.
All of the people that we spoke to who used this service were positive about it and felt that their care needs were met. Comments included, 'I could not have managed without them at all and they are all so caring'. People told us they felt they were respected, one person said, 'They always treat me with respect, but are friendly with it too and have a joke. ' another told us 'I'm very happy with the care I get, they really know what they are doing and are always polite'.
People who used the service told us that their preferred names were used and that if they had a new care worker that person would check what they wanted to be called. They also told us that they felt safe and would speak out if they had concerns. People told us they would tell the agency or a family friend if they were at all worried.
People knew what care they should be getting and confirmed that they did actually receive the care shown in their plans. People told us they had care plans and knew what was in them, though some people had chosen not to read the detail in them.
Care workers that we spoke to were enthusiastic about their roles and enjoyed the variety in their work. Three staff mentioned that the team had recently been under pressure due to staff moving on to other posts, but that this was improving as new staff had been recruited.