This inspection took place on 28, 29 and 30 November 2017 and was announced. The registered provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be at the office to assist with the inspection. This was the first inspection since the service was registered at this location in August 2017.

This service 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 adults. At the time of our inspection eight people were using the service.

There was 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. The registered manager was also one of the owners and registered providers of the service.

People and their relatives told us staff at the service kept them safe. Risks to people were assessed in a number of areas and plans drawn up to reduce the chances of them occurring. The registered manager monitored accidents and incidents to see if improvements could be made to help keep people safe. Plans were in place to support people in emergency situations. Policies and procedures were in place to safeguard people from abuse. People’s medicines were managed safely. The provider’s policies and procedures supported effective infection control. The provider and registered manager ensured staffing levels were sufficient to provide safe support. The provider’s recruitment policies and procedures reduced the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.

Staff were supported through regular training, supervision and appraisals. The service sought out and worked to current best practice. 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. People and their relatives said they received the support they wanted and needed with managing food and nutrition. People were supported to access healthcare professionals to monitor and improve their health.

People and their relatives spoke very positively about the support delivered by staff at the service, describing it as caring and kind. People were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was protected. Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence. People were supported to access advocacy services should they be needed.

People received personalised support that was tailored to their needs and preferences. People’s communication needs were assessed before they started using the service to ensure all necessary arrangements were in place to support them. The service provided end of life care where needed.

The provider had policies and procedures in place to investigate and respond to complaints.

People and their relatives described the service as well-led and spoke positively about the registered manager and provider. Staff spoke positively about the culture and values of the service, and of the leadership provided by the registered manager and provider. The registered manager and provider carried out a number of quality assurance checks to monitor and improve standards at the service. Feedback was sought from people and their relatives. The registered managed had developed links with other agencies and groups that benefited people using the service. The registered manager had informed CQC of significant events in a timely way by submitting the required notifications. This meant we could check that appropriate action had been taken.