We inspected this service on 13 July 2017. The inspection was announced. This was the first inspection of the service. The provider had first registered with us in May 2015, but had not started actively delivering a service until February 2017.

The service delivers personal care to people in their own homes. Five people had started using the service, but some had stopped because they needed hospital care when their health changed. At the time of our inspection two people were receiving the service.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 told us they felt safe with the care staff that came to their home. Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood the signs of abuse and their responsibilities to keep people safe. The registered manager checked staff’s suitability to deliver personal care during the recruitment process.

Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified and care plans were written to minimise the identified risks. Staff understood people’s needs and abilities because they shadowed experienced staff and read their care plans. The registered manager assessed risks in each person’s home and ensured that staff were trained in medicines management, to minimise risks to people’s health and wellbeing.

Staff received the training and support they needed to meet people’s needs effectively and had regular opportunities to reflect on and improve their practice.

Records showed that people and their families were involved in planning their care. People made their own decisions about their care and support. Staff understood they could only care for and support people who consented to receive care. Staff supported people to access healthcare services when their health needs changed.

Staff had regular care calls so they got to know people well. People told us their care staff were kind and respected their privacy, dignity and independence. Care staff were thoughtful and recognised and respected people’s individuality and preferences.

People were confident any complaints would be listened to and action taken to resolve them. The provider’s quality monitoring system included asking people for their views about the quality of the service through regular visits to their homes. The registered manager checked people received the care they needed by monitoring calls, reviewing care plans, working with care staff at people’s homes and at unannounced checks to observe staff’s practice.