We carried out an announced inspection of Zenith Care Recruitment on 3 September 2018. Zenith Care Recruitment is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. The 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, the service provided personal care to two people in their homes. This was the first inspection of the service since it registered with the CQC.

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 legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the associated regulations on how the service is run.

Some risks to people were not always robustly managed. We found some care plans did not contain suitable and sufficient risk assessments to effectively manage risks. We made a recommendation in this area.

Audits had not identified shortfalls with risk assessments and information on care plans such as how to support people with meals and how to communicate effectively with people. Records had not been kept of the findings and the areas that had been covered during audits. This was important to make sure that any identified actions could be monitored to ensure this had been implemented and to keep people safe at all times. We made a recommendation in this area.

People were given choices with meal times. However, people’s preferences and type of support people required with meals had not been included in their care plans to ensure all staff would be aware of this.

People’s ability to communicate were recorded in their care plans. However, there was no information on how staff should communicate with people particularly how staff would make information accessible to people.

Staff were aware of how to identify abuse and knew who to report abuse to, both within the organisation and externally.

There were arrangements in place to ensure staff attended care visits on time. Staff told us they had time to provide person centred care and the service had enough staff to support people.

Medicines were managed safely. We found that people’s Medicine Administration Records (MAR) had been completed accurately. Medicines were being administered as instructed on people’s MAR, or in accordance with the provider’s policy.

Pre-employment checks had been carried out in full to ensure staff were suitable to provide care and support to people safely.

Staff had been trained to perform their roles effectively. Staff had also received specialist training to help support people with complex care needs.

Pre-assessment forms had been completed to assess people’s needs and their background before they started using the service. Reviews were held regularly to identify people’s current preferences and support needs.

People were being cared for by staff who felt supported by the management team.

People were supported to access healthcare if needed. Staff knew if people were not feeling well and who to report to.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected by staff. Relatives told us that staff were caring and they had a good relationship with them.

People, relatives and staff, were positive about the management team. People’s feedback was sought from surveys.

No complaints had been received but complaint forms were available and staff were aware of how to manage complaints.

Formal one-to-one supervisions of staff had been completed regularly in accordance to the providers supervision policy, to ensure staff felt supported at all times.

Staff had been trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and were aware of the principles of the act. Staff sought people’s consent before supporting them.