This announced inspection took place on 20 June 2017. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection to make sure that the appropriate people were present.

Care Herts provides personal care to people in their own homes. People who used the service funded their own care privately or through direct payments or NHS funding. At the time of our inspection 29 people received the regulated activity personal care.

There was a manager in post who had registered with the CQC. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 this service since the provider re-registered at a new address on 18 January 2016.

People felt safe and well supported by the staff who provided their care. Staff understood how to keep people safe and risks to people's safety and well-being were identified and managed. Robust recruitment practices were followed to help ensure that staff were suitable for the role performed. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s agreed care and support needs at the time they preferred. Staff were trained to help and support people take medicines safely where appropriate.

People and their relatives were positive about the skills, experience and abilities of the staff team who provided their care and support. Staff received training relevant to their roles and were routinely supervised by their line management. People were supported to maintain good health in a way that took account of their needs and personal circumstances.

Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with the people they supported and clearly knew them very well. People were provided with care and support in accordance with their individual preferences and with their consent. People were actively involved in the planning, delivery and reviews of the care and support they received. Personal and private information held about people’s medical and personal histories was securely maintained.

People’s support was provided in a way that promoted their dignity and respected their privacy. People were supported to engage in opportunities for social engagement if they chose to do so. People knew how to make a complaint but told us they had rarely had cause to do so.

People who used the service, their relatives and the staff team were complimentary about the registered manager and how the service was operated. Effective arrangements were in place to monitor risks and the quality of services provided.