Southside Partnership Domiciliary Care Agency rated Outstanding by CQC

A Wandsworth care service has been rated as Outstanding overall by the Care Quality Commission.

Southside Partnership Domiciliary Care Agency based in Balham High Road, was rated Outstanding for being well-led and caring. It was rated Good for being safe, effective and responsive.

The service ensured there was a focus on building and maintaining open and honest relationships with people and their families, helping them express their views so that staff and managers at all levels were aware of them. Clients were involved across the services as quality checkers visiting services and speaking to their peers about their experiences and how services could be improved.

Formal listening events were held as a platform for family and friends of people to share their views and discuss issues with a range of operational staff. The provider identified improvements following these events and a project board consisting of people using the service, family members and staff was kept informed about the progress. A follow up event was held to list what feedback had been received and what action had been taken in response.

People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them. Details of important people in their lives and important relationships were recorded in person centred care plans.

Comments from relatives included: "The carers are great"; "Being so far away it gives us peace of mind that [my relative] is so well looked after"; "[My relative] is definitely happy"; "I saw [family member] recently and they look well"; "Staff are courteous and show great concern"; "We are quite happy with how things are going"; "[My family member] is very happy." Staff spoke respectfully of the people they cared for and knew their needs well.

The provider held monthly user involvement meetings called 'The Voice', where people were given the opportunity to speak up, learn and be consulted in the decisions the organisation makes. External guests from local communities were invited to talk about topics of interest such as how to complain or give feedback, how to get an advocate.

A relative said, "I am also very impressed with the senior management and specialist staff of the Southside Partnership who show similar empathy and are keen to engage with relatives."

All services were subject to rigorous systems of quality assurance. This included a member of the quality team completing an audit alongside a service manager from a different service. The audits looked at support records, staff records, environment, health and safety, medication and finance and were action focused and improvements made in response.

The provider had piloted and rolled out a new initiative aimed at improving outcomes for people. This was called the Quality of Life outcomes and looked at eight areas - my choices, my development, my relationships, my communities, my money, my feelings, my rights and my health. Each area was explored and actions identified as to how people's quality of life could be improved in consultation with them, their families, health professionals and link workers as appropriate.

Debbie Ivanova, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said:

“It’s always good to see this type of innovative Outstanding care being provided. Staff and management at Southside Partnership deserve praise for what they have done and are a fine example to other domiciliary care services.”

You can read the report in full on our website.

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