This announced inspection took place on 6 and 8 March 2018.

Sahan Cares C.I.C provides a domiciliary care service for adults with a range of needs. The service offers support to people who require help with day to day care and support including personal care, meal preparation, light housework, shopping, outreach services and companionship. At the time of our inspection there were 81 people receiving personal care.

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

People said they felt safe using the service and staff knew the action to take to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Recruitment procedures were in place and being followed to ensure only suitable staff were employed. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Risks were assessed and identified so action could be taken to minimise them. Infection control procedures were being followed. Staff knew how to support people with their medicines so that they received them safely. The provider was open to learning from events to improve practice.

People’s needs were assessed and care was planned to meet their care and support needs. Staff completed a recognised induction training in health and social care and received ongoing training, to gain the skills and knowledge to care for people effectively. Where required people were supported with their dietary needs and with accessing healthcare services. 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.

People were happy with the care and support they received and found the staff to be very caring. Staff understood people’s individual care and support needs and worked with them to meet these. Staff were kind and respectful and maintained people’s privacy and dignity. Religious and cultural needs were identified and staff understood people’s needs and wishes and respected them.

Care records were comprehensive and provided a good picture of the person and their needs. They were reviewed periodically, and whenever a person’s needs changed, to keep the information up to date. People were given copies of the complaints procedure and were confident to raise any issues, which the provider addressed promptly.

The provider had relevant qualifications and experience and ran the service effectively. Monitoring processes were in place and followed. The provider strived to continually improve the service provision. They followed legislation and good practice guidance and listened to people and staff to gain feedback about the service and planned and implemented improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The inspection was carried out on 10 and 11 February 2016 and the inspection was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure someone would be available to speak with us. Telephone calls to gain feedback about the service from people and relatives were made on 12 February 2016.

Sahan Cares C.I.C provides a domiciliary care service for adults with a range of needs. The service offers support to people who require help with day to day routines including personal care, meal preparation, light housework, shopping and companionship. At the time of our inspection there were 68 people receiving personal care.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

We received positive feedback from people, relatives and care staff who felt the service was well run and people’s needs were identified and being well met.

People felt safe using the service and systems were in place to identify and manage risks. Staff understood how to support people with medicines management so they received their medicines safely. Infection control procedures were in place and being followed by staff to minimise any risks.

Staff recruitment procedures were in place and were being followed to ensure only suitable staff were employed at the service. There were appropriate numbers of staff available to provide the care and support each person required.

Staff understood safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures and the process to follow to report any concerns. There was a complaints procedure in place and people confirmed they would be confident to raise any issues they might have, so these could be addressed.

Staff had received training and demonstrated an understanding of people’s individual needs and choices and how to meet them. Staff understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respect and people and relatives confirmed this.

We found the service met the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The registered manager and the staff understood their responsibilities in line with the MCA requirements and knew to report any concerns in relation to these that might arise. The registered manager confirmed no person was being deprived of their liberty at the time of our inspection.

People received the support they required to meet their nutritional needs. Systems were in place to respond to people’s healthcare needs and staff understood these.

Staff understood the importance of meeting people’s individual needs and provided person-centred care and support to people. Care records identified people’s needs and the ongoing care and support people required and received.

The registered manager was supportive and approachable. They championed the importance of the different religious and cultural needs of people and care staff to be understood and respected.

Systems were in place to monitor the service and the registered manager kept up to date with current good care practices and procedures to maintain a good standard of care provision.

Following our inspection that was carried out 5 September 2013, we issued a compliance action to the provider because they were not compliant with Regulation 21 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. We found that recruitment procedures were not always followed, which meant that information was not always available to evidence that people were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff.

The provider told us that arrangements would be reviewed and action would be taken to ensure compliance by 29 November 2013.

During this inspection we found that the provider had addressed shortfalls identified with the recruitment procedures.

We spoke with four people using the service, three relatives and six staff, including the provider, the administrator and four care workers.

People said they were happy with the care being provided and that the care workers were kind and showed them respect.

People and their relatives told us they would be confident to raise any concerns with the service or with the local authority so they could be addressed.

Staff had received training prior to starting to care for people and further training was planned, to keep staffs knowledge and skills up to date.

Recruitment procedures were in place but were not being always followed in that some gaps in information had not been fully explored, and this could place people at risk.

Systems were in place for monitoring the quality of care being provided and for learning from incidents so action could be taken to minimise the risk of reoccurrence.

Comments we received from people using the service included, “they are very respectful and do everything you need”, “they look after me really well” and “I am very happy with the service at this time”.

At the time of inspection the agency had six people using the service and six staff. We spoke with the registered manager, three staff and two relatives of people using the service.

People were assessed prior to receiving care so their needs were identified and care could be planned to meet them. People’s choices regarding their religious and cultural needs were identified and staff were aware of the importance of treating people with respect and caring for them as individuals.

Safeguarding and whistle blowing policies were in place and were being followed, so people were being protected from the risk of abuse. Complaints procedures were in place and the manager encouraged people to express any concerns so they could be addressed promptly.

Staff were available to attend to people and meet their needs. Staff had received training to provide them with the skills and knowledge to care for people effectively.

The majority of people were matched with staff who could communicate with them in their first language. Where this was not possible, staff identified other methods such as using signals and gestures to communicate with people. One relative described the staff as ‘brilliant’ and both relatives were satisfied with the care being provided.