This announced inspection took place on the 15 and 16 May 2018. This was our first inspection of this service since it registered on 11 May 2017.

Home Straight Partnership Limited is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care to older people who live in their own homes in Oakham area of Rutland. At the time of our inspection there were 17 people using the service.

Home Straight Partnership Limited had two registered managers 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 when they were supported by staff and trusted them. All staff had undertaken training in safeguarding to enable them to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and knew how to report concerns. Arrangements were in place at the service to make sure that action was taken and lessons learnt when things went wrong to improve safety across the service. Potential risks to people were assessed and information was available to staff on how to minimise risk.

The provider’s recruitment procedures ensured pre-employment checks were carried out on people to ascertain their suitability to work with people. We found there were sufficient staff employed to meet people’s needs. People received the support they required, which included having their medicines. Staff followed safe practices to protect people from the risk of infection.

Staff promoted people’s choice and control of their lives were supported in the least restrictive way possible. People’s rights were upheld and decisions about their care were sought as part of the assessment process to identify their needs. People’s assessed needs were then used to develop their care.

People received care from staff that knew them well; positive relationships were developed. Staff received training and had been introduced to people before they started to provide their care. Staff were supervised by the registered manager, staff told jus they felt supported by the registered managers.

People received their care at the planned times and staff were able to adapt to people's changing needs. The registered managers liaised with health care professionals when required to promote people’s health and well-being. People received support with their meals and drinks as planned.

People and family members spoke positively about the staff and the care they received. People developed positive relationships with staff, who were kind and caring and treated people, their homes and their family members with respect. People were provided with information as to how information held about them was stored and how confidentiality was maintained.

People and their family members were involved in planning all aspects of their care and support and were able to make changes to how their care was provided. Records were regularly reviewed to ensure the care provided met people's current needs. Staff understood people's individual needs and preferences.

Staff understood people’s preferred means of communicating and this supported people to receive and share information about their care.

People told us they had no complaints about the service and that they were very happy. People said they knew how to raise concerns and make a complaint and were confident to do.

The registered managers and the staff were knowledgeable about people's needs. The registered managers monitored the quality of care people received through regular visits and spot checks as well as auditing of care records.