Mears Care Huntingdon is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The service is only provided to people living in Park View extra care housing scheme.

This service was added to the provider’s registration on 8 April 2016. This announced inspection took place on 3 April 2017. It was the service’s first inspection. There were 22 people receiving care at that time. The service also provides emergency support to the other people living at Park View who did not receive personal care.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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 were only employed after the provider had carried out comprehensive and satisfactory pre-employment checks. Staff were well trained, and well supported, by their managers. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s assessed needs.

Systems were in place to ensure people’s safety was effectively managed. These reduced risks to people without restricting them from doing the things they enjoyed. Staff were aware of the procedures for reporting concerns and of how to protect people from harm.

Staff knew the people they cared for well and understood, and met, their needs. People’s health and care needs were effectively met. Staff monitored people’s health and welfare needs and acted on any concerns. People received their medicines as prescribed.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and report on what we find. People’s rights to make decisions about their care were respected. Staff were aware of the key legal requirements of the MCA and DoLS.

People received care and support from staff who were kind, caring and friendly to the people they were caring for. People and their relatives had opportunities to comment on the service provided and people were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their care. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

Care plans and risk assessments gave staff the information they required to meet people’s individual care and support needs. The care provided was based on people’s individual choices and preferences.

Care records were detailed and provided staff with sufficient guidance to provide consistent care to each person. Changes to people’s care was kept under review to ensure the change was effective.

There were opportunities for people to develop hobbies and interests. People were supported to access the community and be involved in community events.

The registered manager was experienced and staff were managed to provide people with safe care that met their needs and maintained their independence. There was a system in place to receive and manage people’s compliments, suggestions or complaints. People had access to information on how to make a complaint and were confident their concerns would be acted on. Concerns were thoroughly investigated and plans actioned to bring about improvement in the service.

There were systems in place to effectively monitor the quality of the service. When areas for improvement were identified action was taken to address the shortfalls. People and relatives were encouraged to provide feedback on the service in various ways both formally and informally. People’s views were listened to and acted on.