Tamar Care Services is a domiciliary care service that provides care and support to adults of all ages in their own homes. The service supports some people who may require support with personal care needs at specific times of the day and/or night. At the time of the inspection 38 people were receiving support with personal care needs.

The provider managed the service and was registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

This is this service’s first inspection since they were registered with us in April 2015.

People and relatives described staff as caring and no-one we spoke with had any concerns about the service or staff. One person told us, “Literally every one of them is only too happy and helpful. I can’t speak highly enough of them.” People and relatives told us of little things staff did for them, that made a difference. Comments included, “The care is brilliant and so is their attention to detail. It’s like a fairy’s been here when they’ve gone. They do things without me even noticing!” and “My mother has been in hospital recently and a member of staff took time to visit her”

People told us they felt safe using the service. Comments included, “The staff make me feel safe.” Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse and were confident any allegations would be taken seriously and investigated to help ensure people were protected. People had assessments in place to identify any risks to their health or well being. These included details for staff about how to help reduce risks.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of people who used the service. People received support from staff who knew them well, and had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs. People and their relatives spoke highly of the staff and the support provided. People valued their relationships with the staff members who provided their care and support. Comments included, “The staff are all brilliant” and “They’re like family to me.”

The provider carried out checks on new staff to help ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. During the inspection the provider told us, they had decided that in the future they would wait until new staffs’ DBS and references had been returned before allowing them access to people’s homes and confidential information.

People had care plans in place which guided staff on how people liked their care and support providing and detailed their preferred routines. People told us senior staff contacted them regularly to review the care plan and make any required changes.

Some people received support to take their medicines and told us that staff always got this right and recorded what they had administered. Staff also monitored people’s health and sought further advice if they had concerns about people’s welfare. People told us staff respected their home and protected their privacy and dignity.

The provider and staff had an understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. However the provider had not ensured that when people were having decisions made in their best interests that the reasons for this were recorded. We have made a recommendation about this in the full report. People confirmed staff sought consent before providing care or support.

There was a positive culture within the service. The provider had clear visions, values and enthusiasm about how they wished the service to be provided and these values were shared by the staff team. Staff had clearly adopted the same ethos and enthusiasm and this showed in the way they cared for people. One person told us, “It’s a good atmosphere when they’re in my home.”

People and their relatives confirmed the management team were approachable, included them in discussions about their care and encouraged feedback about