Servesoul - Camden Office provides domiciliary care services to people living in the community in their own homes. There were currently 2 people using the service. The service provides personal care to older people living with dementia who also have other personal care needs.

This is the first inspection of the service since initial registration in November 2016.

A company director was also the registered manager. 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 using the service had a care plan which contained information about the person and their care needs and requirements. As part of the care planning process, senior staff carried out risk assessments which covered the home environment, moving and handling and health and safety.

Care staff were able to identify types of abuse and were clear about the actions they would take if they had any concerns.

The registered manager and care staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how this impacted on the provision of care and support. Care plans demonstrated that mental capacity assessments took place. Action that was needed as a result of people lacking capacity was taken.

Care staff told us, and documents confirmed, that they received training in the safe administration of medicines. The registered manager and deputy manager monitored medicines recording and administration and there were robust systems in place to ensure this was managed safely.

The service had safe recruitment processes in place which included obtaining references and the completion of a criminal record check prior to the care staff commencing their employment. Care staff we spoke with told us that they felt supported in their role and received regular supervision. As care staff had all been working at the service for a little over six months annual appraisals had not yet taken place although the registered manager told us this would occur when they were due.

Care staff, when they first started working at the service, received an in-house induction and training in all mandatory subjects which included first aid, safeguarding, moving and handling and medicine administration.

Spot checks took place in order to monitor the care and support provided to people along with regular reviews of people’s care and support needs. No missed or late visits had occurred.

The service had a complaints policy which was given to people using the service and relatives. The registered manager reported that they had not received any complaints.

As the service was relatively new, operating quality assurance questionnaires had not as yet been completed. However, being a small service there was regular contact with people by the registered manager and deputy manager.

As a result of this inspection we found that the provider met all of the key lines of enquiry that we looked at. Please refer to the main body of this report for further details.