We undertook an inspection on 18 and 19 January 2017 of Alpha Community Care Limited. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of our intention to carry out the inspection. This is because it is a community based service and we needed to make sure the registered manager was available.

The service is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The agency’s office is located on the outskirts of Burnley. At the time of the inspection, 11 people were using the service.

The service was managed by a registered manager. 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 of the agency. During the inspection, we found the service was meeting the current regulations.

People told us they were very happy with the service and described all the staff as caring. They said they felt safe and secure using the service. Potential risks to people’s health and well-being were assessed and managed effectively. Staff showed awareness of how to keep people safe and understood the policies and procedures used to safeguard people. There were appropriate records and safeguards in place to assist people with their medicines.

Staff arrived on time and stayed for the full time allocated to them. There was a sufficient number of staff to cover all the visits and people received care from a consistent group of staff. Appropriate recruitment practices were followed and relevant checks were undertaken, which helped to ensure only suitable staff were employed to care for people. Staff told us they felt supported and received regular supervision and support from the registered manager. Staff had been provided with appropriate training to help them carry out their role. The registered manager carried out a skills analysis with all new members of staff so training could be tailored to individual needs.

Most staff spoken with had an awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and had completed appropriate training. People had signed a consent form to indicate their agreement for care to be provided in line with their care plan.

People received safe care and support which reflected their personal preferences, likes and dislikes and promoted their independence. People were involved in the planning and monitoring of their care. People were treated with kindness, sensitivity and care. Staff were respectful of people’s privacy and maintained their dignity People were fully involved in making decisions about their care. People were supported to eat and drink in accordance with their care plan.

We saw a complaints procedure was in place and this provided information on the action to take if a person wished to raise any concerns.

People using the service and staff spoken with had confidence in the registered manager and felt the agency was well managed. There was a quality monitoring system in place. The registered manager undertook regular audits and people were asked for their views. Feedback was acted upon to maintain or improve the service provided.