Kent Social Care Professionals Domiciliary Service

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.

Feedback from people about staff deployment from the service was negative. People told us calls were often late and sometimes missed. People did not always receive information about this from the office which impacted on people emotionally and physically. A relative told us, "I would say there is a shortage of staff, there are delays in the morning visit. Today carers didn't get [loved one] up till 11.30am. The target time is 9.00am... It impacts on [loved one's] diet, like a late breakfast and [they] might not then eat lunch."

Accidents and incidents were not consistently recorded. Despite this, where accidents or incidents were recorded, action was taken to make people safe and lessons were shared.

Staffing level challenges had had an impact on people receiving timely support and the management of the service. The provider was in the process of implementing new strategies at the time of our inspection to try and increase recruitment and continued to do so following the inspection.

Audits had not taken place regularly in the months prior to the inspection. Risk assessments and care plans were not up to date and did not reflect the care that people were currently receiving. Actions were not consistently taken from the audits that had previously been completed. We did not see evidence of trends analysis to further aid learning and drive improvements.

Feedback from people was negative about communication from the office. Although, staff said they received necessary updates from the office and a recent survey had been sent out to people at the time of our inspection.

Feedback from people about the care they received during visits, from regular carers, was positive. People told us they felt safe. One person said, "I have a trio of lovely [carers] who look after me and I trust them with my life." Staff knew the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report any concerns. Safeguarding

concerns were reported to external agencies.

Risks from the spread of infections such as COVID-19 had been considered. Staff knew how to prevent the spread of infections for example by wearing personal protective equipment.

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 and systems in the service supported this practice.

There was no one receiving end of life care at the time of the inspection, however staff had received training regarding care at the end of people's lives and preferences around this were included in care planning.

The service worked in partnership with healthcare professionals and other external agencies.