# Kent and Medway Domiciliary Care Agency

*Operated by Voyage 1 Limited.*

Kent and Medway Domiciliary Care Agency is a CQC-regulated home-care agency in Ashford.

## CQC Ratings

| Key question | Rating |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | Requires improvement |
| Safe | Requires improvement |
| Effective | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Well-led | Requires improvement |

Rating published: 02/09/2023

## Practical info

- Postcode: TN24 8DH
- Local authority: Kent
- Region: South East
- City: Ashford
- Last CQC check: 02/Sep/2023 - 00:00

## Inspection findings

### caring

- Finding
  - Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversity
  - Published: 2023-09-21

### effective

- Finding
  - Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidance
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Supporting people to live healthier lives, access healthcare services and support
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Staff support: induction, training, skills and experience
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the law
  - Published: 2023-09-21

### Other

- Finding
  - Evidence: The provider worked in partnership with others and engaged in local forums to improve care and support.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: The registered manager understood their legal duty regarding duty of candour and informed relatives where incidents had been reported.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: Care plans reflected a good understanding of people's communication needs with communication profiles in place.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff supported people with complex dietary needs, including modified diets, and some people were supported to do food shopping on a weekly basis.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends, and relatives reported they were always able to see their loved one.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: People had health passports in place to support other health professionals, and staff ensured people could access emergency healthcare when needed.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: Pre-employment checks were completed in line with policies, including up to date DBS, employment history and references.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Evidence: The service had enough staff to support people in line with their care and support plans, with an effective system to ensure shifts were allocated and covered.
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- **consent_capacity** _(critical)_
  - Evidence: The service was not always working within the principles of the MCA. People were subjected to unlawful restraint and a person was forced to sit on the toilet after they communicated they didn't want to.
  - Published: 2023-09-21

### responsive

- Finding
  - End of life care and support
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Meeting people's communication needs
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Improving care quality in response to complaints or concerns
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferences
  - Published: 2023-09-21

### safe

- Finding
  - Staffing and recruitment
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Preventing and controlling infection
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Learning lessons when things go wrong
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Using medicines safely
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Assessing risk, safety monitoring and management
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuse
  - Published: 2023-09-21

### well_led

- Finding
  - How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candour
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering
  - Published: 2023-09-21
- Finding
  - Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirements
  - Published: 2023-09-21

## Source

Data published by the [Care Quality Commission](https://www.cqc.org.uk/) under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canonical page: https://homecarecompass.co.uk/agency/1-1434698282

HomeCare Compass is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the CQC.