Your Care and Support Northampton is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults.

Not everyone using Your Care and Support Northampton receives the regulated activity; the Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection,34 people were receiving personal care.

This inspection took place on the 29,30 and 31 August 2018. This was the first comprehensive inspection for the service since it registered with the CQC in September 2017.

The provider was also the registered manager at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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 received care from staff that were friendly, kind and caring; passionate about providing the care and support people needed and wanted to enable them to stay in their own homes. People felt cared for safely in their own home.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to provide the care and support people needed and were supported by a provider who was visible and approachable, receptive to ideas and committed to providing a high standard of care.

People had care plans that were personalised to their individual needs and wishes. Records contained detailed information to assist care workers to provide care and support in an individualised manner that respected each person's individual requirements and promoted treating people with dignity.

People's health and well-being was monitored by staff and they were supported to access health professionals in a timely manner when they needed to. People were supported to have sufficient amounts to eat and drink to maintain a balanced diet. People experienced caring relationships with staff and good interaction was evident.

Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people and knew how to respond if they had any concerns. Care plans contained risk assessments which gave instructions to staff as to how to mitigate risks; these enabled and empowered people to live as independent a life as possible safely.

Staffing levels ensured that people received the support they required safely and at the times they needed. The recruitment practice protected people from being cared for by staff that were unsuitable to work in their home.

Staff knew their responsibilities as defined by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005). The provider was aware of how to make referrals to the Court of Protection if people lacked capacity to consent to aspects of their care and support and were being deprived of their liberty.

The provider continually monitored the quality of the service provided. Staff and people were confident that issues would be addressed and that any concerns they had would be listened to and acted upon.