Karrek Community Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. It provides a service to vulnerable adults. The packages of care that Karrek Community Care provides range from 30 minutes a day to 24 hour care dependant on the person’s care needs. The care provided covers the area of Cornwall.

Not everyone using Karrek Community Care receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection Karrek was providing personal care to eight people.

This service provides care and support to one person living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

We carried out this announced inspection on 12 and 15 March 2018. At the last inspection, in November 2016, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People were extremely satisfied with the quality of the service they received and the caring approach from staff. People told us; “They (care staff) look after me very well. They are my lifeline,” and “I can’t fault them (staff) they are at the top of their scale.” Relatives echoed people’s views on the care that their family members received. Comments included: “They [staff] have been so good, they know [person’s name] so well” and “[Person’s name] is being cared for by staff that really care and are so supportive.”

The registered provider and team leaders were confident about the action to take if they had any safeguarding concerns and had liaised with the safeguarding teams as appropriate. Risk assessments clearly identified any risk and gave staff guidance on how to minimise the risk. They were designed to keep people and staff safe while allowing people to develop and maintain their independence.

Staff were aware of the reporting process for any accidents or incidents that occurred and there was a system in place to record incidents. Where accidents, incidents or near misses had occurred these had been reported to the service’s managers and documented in the service’s accident book.

One person had experienced a missed call. However as soon as this was identified an investigation into why it was missed and what action was needed to ensure future visits were not missed were put in place. The management team told us missed visits were, “not an option.” The service had robust and effective procedures in place to ensure that all planned care visits were provided.

The service’s visit schedules were well organised and there were a sufficient number of staff available to provide people’s care visits in accordance with their preferences.

People and relatives told us their staff never rushed their visits and stayed for the correct duration. Karrek operated an on call system outside of office hours. Care staff told us managers would respond promptly to any queries they might have.

There were processes in place to protect people and the security of their home when they received personal care, for example, all staff carried identification. People received information about who they should expect to be delivering their care so they were aware of who was due to call upon them.

People told us staff had sought their consent for their care. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. Staff had received relevant training and understood the principles of the Act.

People were supported by stable and consistent staff teams who knew people