The inspection took place on 17 May 2017. This was the first inspection for this provider since they became registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 May 2016. The service provides care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were approximately 32 people receiving this domiciliary service although only nine people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

The service had 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 and their relatives spoke highly of the caring nature of the staff and were happy with the standard of service they received from Home Instead Senior Care. One person said, “They are all kind and caring, I have never had any problems, they are lovely, lovely people.” People told us the care workers were reliable, punctual and professional in their approach. People received the time that was allocated to them and they told us that care workers were flexible and stayed longer if they needed to. One person said, “I never feel rushed, I always get the full hour and they certainly live up to their brochure.” There were enough staff to care for people safely.

Risks to people had been identified and assessed. Care plans supported staff in how to care for people safely. Staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep people safe. They were able to describe how they would recognise abuse and what actions they would take to ensure people were protected. Staff told us that they had developed positive relationships with the people they were caring for and demonstrated a clear knowledge and understanding of people’s needs and their preferences with regard to their care.

People were supported to make choices and to express their views about their care arrangements. One person told us, “They are always asking if I am happy and checking if there is anything that needs changing.” Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and sought people’s consent before providing care.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. They told us that care workers helped them to access health care service when they needed to. One relative said, “It gives me peace of mind to know they are coming in. They have called me before and suggested that we might need the doctor.” Staff received the training and support they needed to be effective in their role and people told us that they had confidence in their abilities. One person said, “The lady who comes to me is very conscientious, careful and thorough. She has been trained and her whole attitude conveys confidence and experience.”

People spoke highly of the management of the service and told us that they knew how to complain and felt comfortable to do so. One person told us “The office staff are very good, everything is well managed I would say.” Staff described an open culture where they felt comfortable to raise any issues or concerns. One care worker said, “There is always someone we can talk to, we are very well supported, much better than at other places I have worked.” The provider and registered manager had a clear vision for the service and used quality assurance information to drive improvements. Record keeping was robust and systems ensured that information was updated regularly.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities in relation to their registration with the Care Quality Commission. The registered manager understood that they must submit notifications to us, in a timely manner, about any events or incidents they were required by law to tell us about. They were aware of the new requirements following the implementation of the Care Ac