Ipswich Domiciliary Care Agency

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

Right support: The model of care maximised people's choice, control and independence. People were included in decisions about their care and support and were supported to access and be part of their local community. During lockdown this access had understandably decreased but alternative daily activities had been put in place as a substitute.

Right care and right culture: Care was person-centred and promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. However, decisions about how to carry out night checks to keep people safe whilst ensuring their privacy needed review. Care plans were written in a person-centred way which was fully focussed on the person's needs. The language in care plans was inclusive and oversight from service managers and the registered manager monitored this closely.

Risks relating to people living with epilepsy required further review to ensure people were kept safe and their privacy and dignity maintained. The provider gave us assurances that this review process was already underway.

Other risks to people's health, safety and welfare had been assessed and actions needed to mitigate these risks were mostly well documented and managed.

There were enough staff to keep people safe. However, one of the supported living services, where people's

mobility needs had recently increased, needed further review of staffing levels to ensure people's needs could be met over a 24 hour period.

Other aspects of the service were safe. Staff were clear about how to safeguard people from abuse and the service managed people's medicines well. Staff were safely recruited and well trained and there were robust infection control procedures in place. Feedback from relatives was very positive about the skills and expertise of the staff.

The provider's oversight and monitoring of the service was structured. Despite this, the concerns we have noted relating to staffing and the management of people's epilepsy had not been identified and fully explored. The registered manager's auditing of individual care records, although detailed, did not ensure comprehensive oversight of each person's care and support needs. However, there was a strong emphasis throughout the service on being inclusive and person-centred.