This inspection visit took place at 1st For Care on 30 January 2017 and was announced. We told the registered manager before our visit that we would be coming. We did this to ensure we had access to the main office and the management team were available.

1st for Care (GB) Ltd is a domiciliary care agency which provides care and support to people with complex care needs to people living in their own home. 1st for Care (GB) Ltd offers a service nationally but has its office base in Lancaster. At the time of the inspection 1st for Care (GB) Ltd was providing domiciliary care to two people.

There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This was the first inspection since the agency changed location. However previous inspections had been carried out at the last location.

We found the service had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to provide safe care for people.

The registered manager made sure new staff had a full employment history and obtained recruitment checks before employing them. Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs and their agreed care packages.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise potential risk of harm to people during delivery of their care and when staff visited homes of people. These had been reviewed when changes occurred.

Staff knew people they supported and provided a service that was suited for the individual. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished their care to be delivered. People told us they had been involved in making decisions about their care.

People supported by the service told us staff who visited them were polite, reliable, patient and respectful in their approach to their work. A comment included, “They are very good and caring people.”

The registered manager understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

The service had a complaints procedure which was made available to people when they received a service. One person we spoke with told us they were happy and had no complaints.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included spot checks, care plan reviews and staff meetings.

Staff and one person who received a service told us the registered manager was supportive and approachable. The registered manager met with people and provided opportunities for them to comment about the quality of their care.