Wessex Regional Care Domiciliary Service

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a domiciliary care provider and there were also people receiving care in supported living accommodation. These were small, residential properties where people received individual support. There were no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate the houses were supported living accommodation.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were supported by staff trained to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse who would not hesitate to report poor practice of colleagues. Risk assessments were completed, and risks minimised however positive risks were promoted to enhance people's experiences. Staff were mainly safely recruited. Improvements were instigated to the recruitment process during our inspection. We have made a recommendation about the recruitment procedures.

Staff were trained and assessed for competency in administering medicines and a comprehensive policy and procedure ensured that errors were thoroughly investigated if they happened. People were supported to keep their homes clean and staff had a good understanding as to how to minimise the spread of infection. Accidents and incidents were analysed, themes identified and risk assessments reviewed.

Assessments of need were completed before the provider agreed to provide a service to ensure the care provided would be suitable for them and manageable. Staff completed an induction when commencing working for the provider. Regular supervision ensured staff felt supported in their roles. People needed support tailored to their needs in order to maintain their diet, this was provided, and people were encouraged to eat healthily. People received support to attend GP and hospital appointments and the provider had forged positive relationships with commissioners to enable a smooth process when people's needs changed. The service was compliant with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People told us they felt their staff were caring and kind and we heard staff speaking about people in a respectful way.

People were supported to participate in care planning and each month would participate in a review of their person-centred plan. Most people and their relatives felt staff treated people with respect. Dignity audits ensured that staff practice was constantly reviewed to ensure it was respectful and supported people to maintain their dignity.

Care plans were person-centred and held sufficient information about people's likes, dislikes and aspirations. The service met the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard. People were supported to maintain and develop new friendships and relationships and to access a variety of activities both provided by the service and in the community. Complaints had been dealt with according to the complaints procedure and staff and people were supplied with information about how to make a complaint. The service was not providing end of life care to anyone when we inspected however they had been trained and had considered their approach when they needed to do so in future.

The management team were accessible and approachable. The culture of the service was empowering to people and staff. The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour. The registered manager had clear oversight of the service and when things went wrong, practice was reflected on and learning taken from it. Extensive quality assurance research was completed and the provider ensured that it investigated negative responses in an attempt to improve service experience for people. The provider had positive links to health and social care services.