# Voyage (DCA) Solihull and Birmingham

*Operated by Voyage 1 Limited.*

Voyage (DCA) Solihull and Birmingham is a CQC-regulated home-care agency in Birmingham.

## CQC Ratings

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

Rating published: 09/03/2018

## Practical info

- Postcode: B37 7BS
- Registered manager: Kyte, Katherine
- Local authority: Solihull
- Region: West Midlands
- City: Birmingham
- Last CQC check: 09/Mar/2018 - 00:00

## Inspection findings

### Other

- Finding
  - Evidence: 24-hour on-call support provided strong backing for support workers at all times.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Innovative staff initiatives, such as cookery sessions, recognised with a 'Staff of the year' award.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Relatives felt complaints and concerns were dealt with promptly; only two written complaints received in 2017.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Mental Capacity Act principles were well understood and applied, with best interest decisions made collaboratively.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Robust quality assurance system including unannounced visits, monthly audits, 'fresh eyes' visits, and cross-organisational learning.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: People were supported to live independently with community access, budgeting support, and person-led activity planning.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Care plans were person-centred, regularly reviewed, and included communication profiles, dietary needs, cultural and religious preferences.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Support workers were recruited safely with all required pre-employment checks completed before independent working.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Medicines were managed and administered safely with weekly checks by team leaders and retraining for errors.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: People were protected from risks of abuse; support workers received safeguarding training and understood reporting responsibilities.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- **record_keeping** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: There was a plan for support workers to attend training in writing effective records.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- **person_centred_care** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: A relative said, 'There were too many changes of staff, always different names, always changing. [Name] doesn't like change. They like to know who is coming.'
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- **staffing_levels** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: Staff told us they had given feedback in a staff survey, to say they needed better co-ordination between the office and support workers and had asked for management to be more visible.
  - Published: 2021-10-30
- Finding
  - Evidence: Quality assurance systems including audits, satisfaction surveys, unannounced spot checks, and 'fresh eyes' checklists
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Thorough recruitment process including DBS checks, telephone interviews, and involvement of people using the service in interviews
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Accessible and approachable management team with on-call rota, monthly team meetings, and responsive complaints handling
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Effective staff training programme including Care Certificate induction, mandatory training with competency checks, and specialist training tailored to individual needs
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Strong person-centred care approach including 'One page profiles', relationship maps, pictorial aids, and involvement of people and families in care planning and reviews
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Robust safeguarding awareness with staff trained to recognise and report abuse and referrals made appropriately to the local authority
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Consistent staffing with people receiving care from familiar support workers who knew their individual needs and preferences
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- **medication_management** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: There had been some medicine errors at the service previously and the registered manager told us these had been identified in their audits and they had 'reset standards'
  - Published: 2021-01-25
- **record_keeping** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: audit of a care plan in October 2015 which highlighted that some dates were missing on care records and support workers had not always recorded choices offered to people
  - Published: 2021-01-25

## 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/1-1530871823

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