Chestnut Home Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. Not everyone using Chestnut Home Care 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. During the inspection there were 56 people receiving personal care or social support.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Staff reported potential harm or abuse. Safeguarding issues were raised with the local authority and were acted upon. Incidents and accidents were investigated. Risks to people’s wellbeing were assessed and reviewed to maintain people’s health and safety. There were enough staff to meet people's needs. Medicine management and infection control was robust.

Staff were provided with training, supervision and a yearly appraisal to maintain and develop their skills. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff do support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Social support was provided to some people using the service.

Staff understood people’s dietary needs.

People said staff were caring and kind and protected their privacy and dignity.

People’s preferences for their care and support were recorded and this information was reassessed as people’s needs changed. The provider had a complaints policy which was, provided to people. Issues raised were investigated and resolved and learning from this was used to improve the service. End of life care was provided to people.

Quality assurance checks and audits were undertaken. There was an ‘on call’ system outside of office hours for people, their relatives or staff to use to gain help and advice. Senior staff undertook ‘spot checks’ to monitor the delivery of care to people. People were asked for their views about the service and feedback received was acted upon.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

We undertook this inspection on 3 February 2016. We phoned the registered manager the day before the inspection to ensure that they could be present for the inspection. Chestnut Home Care is a domiciliary care agency located in Kirmington. The service provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes in North Lincolnshire.

The last inspected of this service took place on 22 February 2013, the registered provider was found to be compliant with the regulations assessed.

The service is required to have 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.

People who use the service were protected from the risk of harm and abuse because staff had received safeguarding training and knew what action to take if they suspected abuse was occurring. People had risk assessments in place regarding their health and wellbeing and home environment. This helped to keep all parties safe.

Support plans were in place which detailed people’s likes and dislikes and preferences for their care and support. Staff contacted relevant health care professionals for advice to help maintain people’s wellbeing.

People’s nutritional needs were assessed and were kept under review. People chose what they wanted staff to prepare for them to eat. Staff were trained in food hygiene which ensured food safety was maintained.

Staff recruitment processes in place were robust. The registered provider monitored the staffing hours required and made sure they had enough staff to cover people’s calls to ensure their needs were met.

Staff received training in a variety of subjects which enabled them to support people safely and meet their assessed needs. Staff were supported with supervisions and appraisals this helped to development their skills and allowed staff to discuss their learning needs.

Staff understood if people lacked capacity to make their own decisions then the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and codes of practice must be followed. This helped to protect people’s rights.

People using the service, their relatives and staff were able to contact the management team or ‘on call’ staff at any time for advice and support.

A quality monitoring system was in place which allowed the management team to monitor how people were receiving their care. Audits and ‘spot checks’ were carried out to determine the quality of service delivered to people. Formal surveys and informal phone calls from senior staff were also used to gain people’s feedback.

The management team and office staff undertook care calls which helped them review the care provided. The management team were supported the staff in emergency situations. The ethos of the service was positive and supportive.

A complaints policy and procedure was in place. This was provided to people who used the service. People we spoke with told us they had no complaints to raise.