Kent and Medway Domiciliary Care Agency

People lived in their own flats and had access to their own facilities such as bathrooms and kitchens. There were a number of different locations across Kent where the service was providing support to people.

People received support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment that met their sensory and physical needs. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their flats.

Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.

Right Care Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. However, there had been an incident of verbal abuse between 2 people living at one of the supported living premises (which was a safeguarding concern), this had not been appropriately reported. Staff had appropriately recorded the incident. The management team had not taken the relevant action to report to the local authority and CQC.

Medicines were mostly managed safely. The provider had not followed NHS choices guidance about

paracetamol for people weighing less than 50kg. After we raised this, actions were taken and the provider shared this as a lesson learned with their other registered services across the country. New staff were adequately checked to ensure they were suitable to work with people to keep them safe.

Staff and people cooperated to assess risks people might face. Risks relating to fire safety and flammable creams known as emollients were not always thoroughly assessed, the management team acted on this and shared the learning with the provider. Where appropriate, staff encouraged and enabled people to take positive risks. People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to people's individual needs. A relative told us, "[Loved one] has said she is happy with them. She is happy living where she is. The actual hands-on staff are wonderful."

The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. A person told us, "I feel safe and this is home." People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. People's care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life.

Right Culture People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs. Staff knew and understood people well.

Staff were responsive, supporting people's aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing. Staff placed people's wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. People and those important to them, were involved in planning their care. People's quality of life was enhanced by the service's culture of improvement.