The inspection took place on 26 April 2017. We gave notice of our intention to visit Kanyuchi Healthcare as it is a small agency where the registered manager also makes calls in people’s homes. In the days following our visit we spoke on the phone with people who used the service and staff. This was our first inspection of Kanyuchi Healthcare.

Kanyuchi Healthcare is a home care service providing personal care services to people in their own homes in southern Hampshire. At the time of this inspection there were seven people receiving personal care services. The service employed eight staff and was managed from the registered manager’s home.

The manager had registered with us in April 2016 and had started to carry out the regulated activity of Personal care in September 2016. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 registered manager of Kanyuchi Healthcare was also the sole director of the owning company.

The provider had arrangements in place to protect people from risks to their safety and welfare, including the risks of avoidable harm and abuse. There were enough staff to support people according to the agreed call rotas. Recruitment processes were in place to make sure the provider only employed workers who were suitable to work in a care setting. There were arrangements in place to handle and administer medicines safely.

Staff received appropriate training and supervision to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge to support people according to their needs. Staff were aware of the need always to obtain people’s consent. Where staff supported people to eat and drink enough, there were appropriate systems in place to record people’s intake. The provider engaged with healthcare services, such as GPs and community nurses, to inform people’s care plans.

Care workers had developed caring relationships with people they supported. People were encouraged to take part in decisions about their care and support and their views were listened to. Staff respected people’s independence, privacy, and dignity.

Care and support were based on assessments and plans which took into account people’s abilities, needs and preferences. Care plans were reviewed and updated regularly and when people’s needs changed. Systems were in place to check people received care according to their agreed plans.

The registered manager communicated a caring ethos. Systems in place to make sure the service was managed efficiently and to monitor and assess the quality of service provided were appropriate to the size of service. People told us the service was responsive, and the manager and staff listened to them.