This inspection took place on the 1 November 2016, with an announced visit to the service. In addition, phone calls were made to people using the service and their relatives on the 3, 7 and 10 November 2016.

Sanctuary Oasis provides personal care for people living in their own homes in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire. When we inspected they were providing care for approximately 21 people.

The service had 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.

Systems were in place to identify potential risks to people, and to put steps in place to help staff to effectively manage the risks. People felt safe when they received care from the service and staff worked to protect them from harm or abuse.

Staffing levels were consistent and sufficient to meet people's needs. Pre-employment checks were carried out on all staff before they started working at the service to ensure they were of good character and suitable for their roles.

Staff received the training and support they needed to make sure they had the knowledge and skills to carry out their roles. Staff supervision systems were in place to provide a forum for staff to discuss their learning and development needs and any concerns they had.

Consent to care and support was sought from people using the service. Where it was assessed that people lacked the mental capacity to give their consent or make specific decisions, best interests’ decisions had been made by their family members or their close relative. Staff supported people to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and to seek the support of healthcare professionals when needed.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Positive caring relationships were developed between people using the service, their relatives and staff. The staff ensured that people’s dignity was maintained at all times. People’s specific needs and preferences were respected by staff when providing their care. People and their relatives were involved in care assessments and on-going reviews of their care needs.

Systems were in place to routinely listen and learn from people’s experiences. People and their relatives were encouraged to make a complaint if they were dissatisfied with any aspect of the care they received from the service.

There was a positive and open culture at the service. Quality assurance checks were regularly carried out by the provider. The feedback received from people using the service and their relatives, was used to identify areas where the service was doing well and areas to drive further improvement.