iCare Domiciliary Southampton offers people personal care and support in their own homes. On the day of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 26 people who tended to be older.

The inspection took place on 16 August 2017 and was announced. We gave 24 hours’ notice of the inspection as we wanted to ensure staff were available. This was the first inspection of the service.

There was a registered manager in place. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider had policies and procedures in place designed to protect people from abuse and staff had completed training in safeguarding people. The registered manager knew how and when to use safeguarding procedures appropriately. Risk assessments identified when people were at risk and plans were in place to minimise those risks and to deliver care and support which met people’s needs. People’s needs were met by suitable numbers of staff. Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place. People received safe and appropriate support with their medicines when needed.

People’s needs were met by staff who were trained to do so as the provider had an ongoing training programme in place. The management and staff were clear about people’s right to consent to their care and support. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were supported to eat and drink and access healthcare when necessary.

Staff formed positive caring relationships with people. People, their relatives and professionals told us how the staff had a caring attitude. Staff ensured people could make everyday choices and respected their privacy and dignity when supporting them.

People received personalised care that was responsive to their needs. People had a care and support plan in place which detailed the care and support which had been agreed with them. Staff found the care plans were up to date and ensured they reported any changes in people’s needs.

People and their relatives felt able to complain. The provider had a complaints procedure in place and people were made aware of how to complain.

The registered manager and provider promoted a positive culture that put people at the centre of the service provided. The registered manager sought the views of people, their relatives and staff in a meaningful way. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and ways to improve the service were sought and implemented.