The Care Bureau Ltd - Domiciliary Care - Northampton

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

People were cared for by staff who knew them, however at times they did not know which care staff would be visiting and the times and length of care calls varied.

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; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff understood the need to seek consent from people before they provided care or completed tasks for people.

Staff were trained and had a good understanding of people's needs. They supported people, when needed, to access other health professionals. Their competency was tested in relation to medicine administration.

Right Care: People's care was not always person-centred. At weekends the scheduling of people's calls was not always at the time when people wanted. At times staff were stretched to provide the full support people needed.

People felt safe with staff and said most staff knew how to support them. Staff were recruited safely and knew how to protect people from harm or abuse.

Care plans demonstrated people's equality characteristics were considered and respected.

Right Culture Improvements were needed to the system in place to monitor the quality and performance of the service.

Care records were reviewed but audits had not identified gaps in information and the information was not always up to date.

People and relatives had mixed views in relation to communication with the service and whether they were asked for feedback. Staff were supported but did not always feel they were listened to. The registered manager shared evidence of feedback they had sought.

The registered manager was open and transparent and implemented changes based on the feedback given.