The inspection took place on 18 September 2018 and was announced, this was to ensure staff we needed to speak with were available. This was the first inspection due to the service being new so we could not gather any information from past reports.

Melody Care Aldershot is a domiciliary care agency; it provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older and younger adults who may be living with a physical disability, a mental health condition, a learning disability or people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection, 85 people were using the service.

The service had 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There was guidance in place to protect people from the risks of harm and abuse. Staffing levels were sufficient to support people safely and where there were any short falls these were covered internally. The provider had an effective recruitment process to make sure the staff they employed were suitable to work in a care setting.

Risks to people were assessed and action was taken to minimise any avoidable harm. Medicines were managed safely and administered as prescribed and staff had regular competency checks.

Staff ensured people were protected from the risk of acquiring an infection during the provision of their personal care. Processes were in place to ensure any incidents were reflected upon and relevant changes made for people’s future safety.

People's needs had been assessed and they had a care plan to meet their identified needs. Staff were trained to support people with an array of health care needs, in line with recognised best practice. People were supported by staff who had the required skills and training to meet their needs. Where required, staff completed additional training to meet individual's needs. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient for their needs.

Staff worked both within the service and across organisations to ensure people received effective care. People were supported by staff to ensure their healthcare needs were met and healthcare professionals’ guidance was followed.

The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The service did not currently support any individuals who required assessments under the MCA.

People reported they were treated in a kind and caring manner by staff. People were supported by staff to express their views and to be involved in decisions about their care. People's independence was promoted by staff who encouraged them to do as much for themselves as possible. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and were sensitive to their needs regarding equality, diversity and their human rights.

The service was responsive and involved people in developing their care plans, which were detailed and personalised to ensure their individual preferences were known. People's care plans had information about people's care needs, their wishes regarding independence and any risks identified and how to minimise these. If a person's needs changed then their care plans were updated immediately.

Arrangements were in place to obtain the views of people and their relatives and a complaints procedure was available for people and their relatives to use if they had the need.

The service was well managed and well-led by the registered manager who provided clear and direct leadership, which inspired staff to provide good quality care. The safety and quality of the support people received were effectively monitored and any identified shortfalls were acted upon to drive continuous improvement of the service.