Our inspection focussed on the services provided by the district nursing and health visiting teams. We visited all of the three district nursing localities within the service and the health visiting main base. On the first day of our inspection we observed and spent time talking with people who were using the service and staff within two of the clinics run by the district nursing teams. On the second day of our inspection we observed and spent time talking with parents and staff within a clinic run by one of the health visiting teams. Over both days we visited nine people who were receiving a district nursing service in their own homes.

People who were using both of the services made positive comments about the care and treatment they received. They told us that they and their families were fully involved in making decisions about the treatment they received and that, overall, their care needs were being met. A person who was using the service told us, “Staff are lovely, I couldn’t be in better hands. They know me well. They go out of their way to help me.”

People who were using the service told us that, overall, staff were available at the times they needed them. The Trust acknowledged that there were staff shortages across both services. However, actions had been taken to ensure patient safety. People that were using the service told us “Different staff come every week but they are on time and explain everything, and “They come on time to give me my insulin.”

People told us that staff had a good understanding of their care needs and they took the time to answer any questions they had. A person that was using the service told us “The health visitors have all been really supportive. They have given me good advice.”

Arrangements were in place so that people’s concerns were taken seriously. Actions were taken in response to concerns raised in order to improve the service people received.

Most care and treatment records were of a good standard and safely stored. These identified people’s care and treatment needs and the care provided. This meant that it was possible to establish whether people’s care needs were being met.