This inspection took place on 24 and 26 January 2017 and was announced.

Lavender Support Services limited provides personal care to people who live in their own homes in order for them to maintain their independence.

At the time of our inspection the provider confirmed they were providing personal care to 45 people.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

Staff had a good understanding of the different types of abuse and the safeguarding procedures that should be followed to report abuse. Staff were confident that the right action would be taken should they report any abuse within the service.

Risk assessments were in place to support people and staff to reduce the risks that may be present within various areas of people’s lives. They enabled people to be as independent as possible.

Staffing levels were adequate to meet people's current needs. People told us that staff arrived on time and did not miss any calls.

The staff recruitment procedures that were in place ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out. This ensured only suitable staff worked at the service and people were supported safely.

Staff induction training and on-going training was provided to ensure they had the skills, knowledge and support they needed to perform their roles. Training was provided for the specific needs of the people being supported, and staff felt that they were suitably trained to support a variety of needs.

People told us that their medicines were administered safely and on time. The medication records we looked at were completed accurately and were regularly audited.

Staff were well supported by the registered manager and senior team, and had regular one to one supervisions so that they could discuss their work and set targets.

People's consent was gained before any care was provided and the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were met.

People were able to choose the food and drink they wanted and staff supported people with this when required. People were supported to access health appointments when necessary, and the service was able to make referrals to various health professionals to support people’s needs.

Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect and spent time getting to know them and their specific needs and wishes. People and their relatives were happy that they were able to develop positive relationships with the staff that came in to their homes.

People felt involved in their own care planning and were able to contribute to the way in which they were supported. People’s views were recorded at reviews and updated accordingly.

The service had a complaints procedure in place to ensure that people and their families were able to provide feedback about their care and to help the service make improvements where required. The people we spoke with knew how to use it.

Quality monitoring systems and processes were used effectively to drive future improvement and identify where action was needed. Detailed and thorough audits took place regularly.