This was an unannounced inspection that started on 5 March 2018 with a visit to the office base. We then spoke with people who used the service and with staff. This was the first inspection of the service.

Cumbria Care Domiciliary and Reablement Service - Copeland and Allerdale provides reablement services to adults in the Copeland and Allerdale areas. They provide support so that people are helped to recover from illness or medical interventions. The visits are designed around individual needs. The service hopes to help people with recovery within a six week period. At times their intervention means the support is much shorter. After six weeks the support package may be extended depending on the reassessment of need.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults and younger disabled adults. Not everyone using Cumbria Care Domiciliary and Reablement Service - Copeland and Allerdale receives the 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.

The service had a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager who also managed the service in Carlisle. 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 service ensured that the people they supported were as safe as possible. Staff were trained to recognise abuse and suitable systems were in place to ensure that people were protected from harm.

The service had suitably recruited, trained and supervised staff who were deployed appropriately to meet people's support and rehabilitation needs. Appraisals were up to date and detailed. The service had suitable policies and procedures related to disciplinary and grievance matters.

Staff were trained in the administration and management of medicines and these were recorded appropriately.

Infection control matters were managed appropriately with staff receiving training and having access to personal protective equipment.

The registered manager and the senior team had a good understanding of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. No one supported by the service was being deprived of their liberty. People told us that they were asked for consent before interactions.

Any issues around nutrition and hydration were included in care plans. Staff supported some people to undertake food preparation as part of their recovery.

Staff supported people to access health care support and were trained to call on the support of health care professionals for emergencies. We saw that support workers were contacting health care professionals using their own judgement.

The service was based in a Cumbria County Council office. This was safe and secure. The staff said they thought that being based in the same office as social workers helped them work together. There was a suitable on call system in place with a central contact number that operated from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m every day of the year. Staff and people using the service were very satisfied with this system.

People told us that staff were caring and kind. Staff were trained in person centred care and in all the aspects of privacy and dignity. People could have the support of an advocate if required.

Good assessment of need and ability was in place. Reablement planning encouraged independence and skills building.

The work undertaken was short term and did not include social activities but the work undertaken assisted people to return to previous activities and interests.