This inspection took place on 7 March 2018 and was announced. Aspire Home Carers Limited provides support to people living in their own homes in Folkestone and surrounding areas. The service is provided mainly to older people but can also support younger adults and people with dementia type conditions. It also provides staff to offer domestic calls, companionship and a sitting service for those people who do not require help with personal care. Not everyone using Aspire Home Carers Limited receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At inspection there were currently four people receiving the regulated activity of ‘personal care’.

The service has a registered manager in post who is also the registered provider. 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. The registered provider/manager also operates a residential care home from the same location.

We last inspected Aspire Homes carers Limited in January 2017 when two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 were identified. We rated the service as requires improvements and issued requirement notices in respect of person centred care and good governance.

We asked the registered provider/manager to send us an action plan of the improvements they intended to make to become compliant with the legal requirements in regard to the breaches. This inspection was to assess the actions they had taken and confirm they had now addressed the breaches. No breaches of regulation were found at this inspection although we identified an area for further improvement.

At our previous inspection there had been concerns that some staff were carrying out personal care activities related to health monitoring that the person had not been assessed for, this need was not reflected in the persons care plan and staff had not been trained by the organisation to undertake this. At this inspection there was greater understanding by staff of the tasks they were able to undertake and provide support with. People told us that staff understood their needs and provided the level of support they needed and wanted. Both people and relatives spoke positively about the attitudes and ethos of the staff and the quality of the personalised support provided. Whilst some care plans would benefit from an improved level of detail.. Any impact was currently mitigated by the size of the client base and current staff team, and their ability to provide continuity of staff support to people; this could change so is an area of further improvement.

We were previously concerned that quality assurance processes had not picked up that staff were providing support outside of their remit. Since then the deputy manager has visited every person supported, and had undertaken personal care calls to all of them and understood the tasks staff need to provide. Care plans and risk information have been updated to ensure these reflect the current levels of support needed and risk reduction measures in place; these are reviewed every few months or earlier if changes occur. The deputy manager undertakes competency assessment of staff during visits to people’s homes and undertakes spot checks and observations. An electronic recording system enables care plans, medicine administration record sheets and daily logs to be viewed through a secure application online by people and their relatives; they can also comment on what the records contain. All records are in real time and the deputy manager can review each perso

The inspection took place on 13 and 14 January 2017 and was an announced inspection. The registered manager was given 48 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Aspire Home Carers Limited provide care and support to people in their own homes. The service is provided to mainly older people. At the time of the inspection there were approximately six people using the service, of which five people received support with their personal care. The service undertakes visits to provide care and support to people in Lympne, Folkestone, Dover and immediate surrounding area. It also offers staff to provide a sitting in service for people who do not need support with their personal care.

The service is run by a registered manager who was registered with the Commission in January 2015. 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. The registered manager of this service is also the registered provider of the service. In addition, they operate a residential care home, of which, they are also the registered manager and provider.

Risks associated with people’s care had been identified and there was sufficient guidance in place for staff. However, care plans were not in place for all aspects of people’s care and support needs.

There were audits and systems in place to monitor the quality of the service people received. These had not always been effective in identifying and addressing shortfalls.

People were involved in the initial assessment and the planning of their care and support and some had chosen to involve their relatives as well. Care plans contained a good level of detail and ensured people received care and support consistently and according to their wishes.

People told us their independence was encouraged wherever possible, this was supported by the care plan.

People told us they received their medicines when they should and felt their medicines were handled safely.

People felt safe using the service and when staff were in their homes. The service had safeguarding procedures in place. Staff demonstrated clear understanding of what abuse was and how to report any concerns to keep people safe.

People had their needs met by sufficient numbers of staff. Visits were allocated permanently to named staff and were only changed when staff were on leave. People received a consistent service at the right time, for the full planned visit from a team of regular staff.

New staff underwent an induction programme, which included relevant training and shadowing experienced staff, until they were competent to work on their own. Staff received training appropriate to their role.

People told us their consent was gained at each visit. People were supported to make their own decisions and choices. No one was subject to an order of the Court of Protection although some people had made Lasting Power of Attorney arrangements. Some people chose to be supported by family members when making decisions. The Mental Capacity Act provides the legal framework to assess people’s capacity to make certain decisions, at a certain time. When people are assessed as not having the capacity to make a decision, a best interest decision is made involving people who know the person well and other professionals, where relevant. The registered manager understood this process.

People felt staff were very caring; they told us they were relaxed in their company, staff listened to what people wanted and acted on what they said. People were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was respected. Staff were kind and caring in their approach and knew people and their support needs well.

People told us they received person centred care that was individual to them. They felt staff un