This inspection of KS Care Limited took place between 18, and 24 December 2018 and was announced. This was the service’s first inspection since it registered with the Care Quality Commission in November 2017.

KS Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older people, people living with dementia, younger adults, people living with a physical disability, people living with mental health disorders and people living with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. People using the service were all being supported with the regulated activity which the service was registered to provide.

There were 34 people using the service when we completed the inspection. There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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.

The service was safe. People were protected from harm and abuse and the registered manager and staff team had a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. People had risk assessments in place to protect them from harm. Some of these were limited in information and needed more detail to further mitigate risks when supporting people. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. People received their care visits on time and for the correct duration. Staff members had necessary checks completed before starting employment including a disclosure and barring services (DBS) check. People were supported to take medicines safely. Guidance on administering some people's as and when required (PRN) medicines was not always clear. Staff members had a good understanding of infection control and how to support people safely with regards to this. Where incidents happened, these were investigated and actions were taken to ensure that lessons were learned.

The service was effective. Staff received regular training and supervision to ensure that they were competent in their job roles. The registered manager regularly checked and assessed staff's competency in all areas of their role. Assessments of people’s needs and support were completed thoroughly before they started using the service. People were supported to maintain their health and well-being. Action was taken if there were concerns about a person's health. The service worked with, and referred people to, other health and social care professionals to support people’s wellbeing. People were supported with their dietary needs where needed. 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 practic.

The service was not always caring. People’s care was not always as caring and respectful as it could have been as some people did not understand what staff were saying. This was due to some staff’s command of the English language. These staff would talk between themselves in their own language. Some people were rushed by staff or felt that they were treated quite ‘roughly’ by staff members. People were involved in making decisions about the care they received. People had the opportunity to remain as independent as possible and make choices about their care and support.

The service was responsive. People received care and support that was specific and individual to them. People’s care and support was reviewed regularly and changed to meet their needs. People were able to make complaints and compliments about the service they received. Complaints were responded to promptly and to the satisfaction of the complainant. People were supported with dignity and respect at the end of their life.

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