This inspection took place on 8 and 14 February 2017 and was announced. We gave 24 hours’ notice of this inspection because the service is a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure there was someone in the office available to assist the inspection.

The service was supporting 59 people at the time of this inspection. The service had a registered manager. 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.

At the time of the inspection the registered manager was not actively managing the service. The registered provider supported the deputy manager during the inspection.

During this inspection we found the registered provider had breached the regulations. The registered provider had failed to ensure the safe handling of medicines. Staff were not recording the administration of topical medicines in line with national guidance. Staff had not had their competency to apply topical medicines checked.

We found staff training was not up to date. The registered provider had commissioned an external contractor to provide training in all subjects deemed mandatory. For example, food hygiene, moving and assisting. We found a programme of training already in place with training booked in on a monthly basis.

We found some records pertaining to the management and running of the service were not available due to the registered manager not being in the service. No other member of the management team were able to access these records.

Recruitment practices at the service were thorough, appropriate and safe so only suitable people were employed.

Systems were in place to identify, assess and manage individual risks to people. Staff had received training in the safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) at induction and had or were due to receive refreshers. Staff were clear about their responsibilities to recognise and report any incidents of abuse and were able to describe how the MCA impacted on their roles. For example, attending best interest meetings.

Staff told us they felt supported and received regular supervision and annual appraisals to discuss performance and personal development. Supervisors told us they undertook spot checks to observe and confirm care workers were supporting people appropriately.

People’s dietary needs were respected with support given where necessary. Care plans were personalised and reviewed regularly. Relatives felt involved in their family member’s care and attended review meetings. Relatives made many positive comments about the service.

Processes were in place to consult with people before their package of support commenced. Consultations took place with supervisors and plans of support were completed with the person and if necessary relatives.

People’s care records and risk assessments showed us that people were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People’s healthcare needs were acknowledged and contact was made with other health care professionals when necessary.

We saw that systems were in place for recording and managing safeguarding concerns, complaints, accidents and incidents. People and relatives knew how to make a complaint.

The service sent out annual surveys to people to gain their opinions and views on the service. We found several compliments card and letters received by the service outlining relatives and people’s satisfaction with the service they had received.

Staff told us they felt the service was open and approachable. Regular meetings were in place for staff to raise concerns and issues, on a regular basis. Personal records were held in line with Data Protection.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.