Dunamis Social Care

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. 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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting some of the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Staff training did not include topics staff needed to be aware of, such as training in dignity and specific health conditions. We saw no evidence of harm of this lack of training. However, there was a risk staff may not understand and act on people's health needs.

People had their needs assessed before care was delivered. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, this meant staff were able to support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did support this practice.

The service protected people from the risk of poor nutrition and dehydration. People were supported by staff to prepare meals and drinks to meet their needs.

The service worked with medical professionals. This included working with district nurses to assist a person with pressure area needs. People were confident their healthcare needs were met.

Right Care: People's care, treatment and support plans had not always been updated and did not show how people had been involved. The registered manager had identified care plans needed improvement and was in the process of updating them.

Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. Systems and processes identified and protected people from abuse. People told us they felt safe with staff.

Medicines were managed safely. Electronic medication administration charts (eMAR) had been completed and showed people had their medicines as prescribed. Systems and processes flagged when records were not completed.

Staff had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and people told us staff wore this appropriately, kept their homes clean and were regularly observed to wash their hands.

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.

Right Culture: Systems and processes were not always robust to ensure good governance of the service. Audits did not identify the concerns reported on during this inspection. This placed people at risk of not having their care needs met.

People told us the registered manager and staff were kind, caring and their needs were met. One relative told us, "Best care [our relative] has ever had. It has made a huge difference. We can appreciate how good they are."

The registered manager was open and transparent throughout the inspection. They told us their focus had been working with new staff.

Staff felt supported by the registered manager. Staff told us they were happy to work for Dunamis Social Care and people felt they received good care.