Kare Plus Windsor is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community and specialist housing. It provides a service to older adults; people aged between the ages of 16-65; people living with dementia; mental health; physical disabilities and sensory impairment. The service was providing a regulated activity to 36 adults who were using the service at the time of our visit.

The service has 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This is the first inspection under Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

People said staff treated them with kindness. A person commented, “They (staff) always ask me if I’m alright and do I need anything. They help you with anything you ask.” People received care from staff who knew them well and were encouraged to be independent. Peoples’ privacy and dignity was respected and promoted.

People felt safe when receiving care and support from staff. People benefited from a safe service where staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities. Risks to people’s personal safety had been assessed and plans were in place to minimise these risks. There were sufficient staff to meet peoples’ care and support needs; safe recruitment practices and medicines were administered safely. People were kept safe from infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did support them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The service was compliant with Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its codes of practice.

The service made sure care delivered was effective and achieved good outcomes for people. Staff were appropriately inducted; trained and supervised. Peoples’ nutritional and health needs were met.

People said care and support given was specific to their needs. Care records were person-centred and captured people’s needs and preferences. information was not always given to people in a way that met their communication needs. We have made a recommendation for the service to seek current guidance and best practice in order to be compliant with the Accessible Information Standard. People were aware of how to make a complaint.

People felt the service was well-led and staff spoke about the positive culture they worked in. Management recognised staff’s exceptional work practice. Effective quality assurance systems were in place to monitor ensure people’s welfare and safety. However, there was no analysis of the data gathered and lessons learnt. We have made a recommendation for the service to seek current guidance and best practice on how to analyse data and reflect on lessons learnt. The service used various ways to gather people’s experience of the care and support delivered.