New Support Solutions is a domiciliary care agency providing support to people living in their own home within the community. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care for three people.

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good:

There was a registered manager at the service who was also the provider. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

People received safe care from the service. Risk assessments were completed to enable people to receive care with a minimum of risk to themselves or the care staff. Robust recruitment procedures were followed to ensure as far as possible only suitable staff were employed. Staff were trained to safeguard and protect people. They were aware of their responsibility to report concerns.

People continued to receive effective care from staff who were trained in the necessary skills to fulfil their role. Staff felt supported, they had one to one meetings, appraisals and staff meetings which provided time to seek advice, discuss and review their work. They had opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge as well as gain relevant qualifications.

People’s healthcare needs were monitored and advice was sought from healthcare professionals when necessary. 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 practice.

The service remained caring and people said staff were kind, caring and patient. Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity and treated them with respect. People were involved in making decisions about their care.

The service remained responsive to people’s individual needs. Staff knew people well and individual care plans were person-centred. They focused on the preferences of each person and their desired outcomes. People knew how to make a complaint or raise a concern but had not found it necessary to do so.

The service continued to be well-led. The registered manager promoted an open, person centred culture. They listened to feedback and worked toward making improvements in the service. People’s views were sought and the quality of the service was monitored. Action was taken to make improvements when issues were identified.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 15 and 20 May 2015 and was announced. New Support Solutions is a domiciliary care service and at the time of the inspection was providing personal care for four people living in their own homes.

At the time of the inspection 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.

People using the service told us they were happy with the service they received from New Support Solutions and felt safe using the service. The service had systems in place to manage risks to people and staff. Staff had good awareness of how to keep people safe by reporting concerns promptly through procedures they understood well. Information and guidance was available for them to use if they had any concerns.

People told us that staff treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. People also said they were involved in decisions about their care and told us they had been asked for their views on the service. They said they felt they had been listened to. People’s care and support needs were reviewed regularly with them. The registered manager ensured that up to date information was communicated to staff quickly to ensure they could provide appropriate care. Staff contacted healthcare professionals in a timely manner if there were concerns about a person’s wellbeing.

Staff felt well supported by the registered manager and said they were listened to if they raised concerns and action was taken if necessary. Staff felt there was an open culture in the service and they were comfortable to approach the registered manager for advice and guidance.

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to gaining consent before providing support and care and people’s right to make decisions was protected. New staff received an induction and training in mandatory topics. People told us they felt staff were well trained for their role. The registered manager had enrolled all staff on the new Care Certificate award and staff had received refresher training in mandatory topics in accordance with the provider’s policy.

The provider’s recruitment procedures were robust and there was a system to ensure people received their medicines appropriately. The quality of the service was monitored by the registered manager through gaining regular feedback from people using the service and auditing of records. Staff were aware of how to deal with emergency situations and the provider had plans in place to deal with emergencies.