DMC Signature Care Ltd achieved a Good rating at this targeted follow-up inspection, having resolved all four prior regulatory breaches and exiting Special Measures. The service demonstrated safe staffing, effective safeguarding systems, and well-led governance with a culture of openness and continuous improvement.
Concerns (1)
minorCare planning: “not all strategies were recorded fully. For example, when a risk assessment stated a person was at risk from crossing the road the strategies did not detail what staff should do.”
Strengths
· Sufficient staff deployed to meet individual needs; staff arrived on time and stayed the allocated amount of time
· Safe recruitment practices in place including DBS checks and references
· Staff received training on safeguarding, medicines management, and infection control
· Regular supervisions held every three months and ad hoc when issues arose
· Robust audit programme covering accidents, incidents, safeguarding, care plans and risk assessments
Quality-Statement breakdown (10)
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving care; Working in partnership with othersGood
Targeted inspection found the provider had made enough improvement to no longer be in breach of Regulations 17 and 19, with new recruitment, governance and electronic rota systems in place. However, with only one person using the service and no new staff employed, effectiveness of the new processes could not yet be evaluated and the service remained in special measures.
Concerns (2)
moderateGovernance: “New systems and processes were in place to support the provider to have effective oversight of the quality and safety of the service. These had not yet been embedded”
moderateStaff competency: “no new staff had been employed at the service since the previous inspection. We were therefore unable to monitor the effectiveness of the new processes”
Strengths
· Improved recruitment procedures including identification scanner, photograph at interview, and Home Office right-to-work checks
· External vetting company sourced to undertake all DBS checks
· Provider and senior staff undertook safer recruitment training delivered by the local authority
· New electronic rota system with barcode scanning to time-stamp carer arrival/departure and flag missed visits
· Revised risk assessments in place including for transporting children and water temperature testing
Quality-Statement breakdown (2)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentNot rated
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirements; Continuous learning and improving careNot rated