This inspection took place on 10 August 2016 and was announced.

Abbey Care Direct Limited provides a domiciliary care service. It is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The service provided personal care to 39 people on the day of our inspection.

A registered manager was in post and was present during our inspection. 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.

People were supported by staff who understood how to protect them from any harm and abuse. Staff provided safe care to people within their own homes. Staff knew how to and were confident in reporting any concerns they may have about a person’s safety. Risks to people and within their environment were considered and assessed. Systems were in place for staff to follow which helped to protect people against these risks.

People were supported safely by staff that they were familiar with. Safe recruitment processes meant that checks were completed on potential new staff before they started work. This was to make sure they were suitable to support people living in their own homes.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their care needs. Staff received the training and support they needed to enable them to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Where required, training was arranged to ensure staff met people’s specific and individual care needs.

Staff asked people's permission before they helped them with any care or support. People's right to make their own decisions about their own care and treatment was supported by staff.

People were supported by staff who knew them well and were caring in their approach. Staff made sure people were involved in their own care and asked them how they wanted things done. People felt listened to by staff and were treated with dignity and respect. People were encouraged and supported to maintain their independence as much as they were able to.

Staff provided people's care how they wanted it and in a way that was individual to them. Staff responded to changes in people's needs and their care was adapted to meet these changing needs.

People and relatives were encouraged to give their opinions on the support they received. Where people had raised concerns or complaints these were looked into and resolved quickly.

People and relatives thought all staff were friendly, caring and approachable. The quality of care people received was monitored and improvements made where identified. Staff understood and were supported in their roles and felt involved in the development of the service.

We spoke with five people who used the service and a relative. They shared positive experiences about the care and support they received. They told us they received a friendly and reliable service. Comments included, “I’m looked after really well” and, “The ladies are all very pleasant and willing to do anything for me. I can’t say anything bad about them”.

People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support. They told us that they were very happy with the standard of care and support they received. We saw the agency was responsive to changes in people's needs and circumstances.

There were enough staff employed to ensure people received a safe and reliable service. People told us that staffing shortages had recently improved following the recruitment of more care workers.

Staff received a range of training to give them the skills and knowledge they needed for their work. They told us they were well supported. One care worker told us, “I’ve worked in care for 25 years and these are the best providers I’ve worked for in every area”. Another told us, “I love the opportunity homecare gives me. I get such a sense of fulfilment and achievement. Just getting a smile from people makes my day. They are so important”.

We found the provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.

We spoke with four of the forty four people who used the service, and five members of staff, including the registered manager.

People were very pleased with the care and support they received. They told us they found the service professional and reliable. Everyone agreed their care workers were respectful and demonstrated their right to privacy. One person told us, "This is the third service I tried before I was happy with the care I received. I am very satisfied. My carers are excellent."

People told us they felt fully involved with the assessment of their needs and planning for their care. They considered that their care workers had a good understanding of individuals' needs and preferences.

People said they felt safe in the presence of their care workers. One person said, "They are very organised, reliable and trustworthy."

Staff had received training on protecting the people they supported. They were able to describe how they would recognise abuse and knew how to respond to protect people.

There was a process in place to ensure that appropriate checks were done before new staff began work in people's own homes. Staff told us they enjoyed their work and said they were well supported.

The agency ensured that people's views were considered and listened to. People had been provided with information about how to use the complaint process. They said staff were very welcoming and approachable whenever they had contact with them.

We spoke with three people who received care from the service, two staff and the management.

One person told us, “They carry out the tasks they are supposed to. I feel safe when they are in my home”.

People told us that they were asked questions about their care needs and were involved in the planning of their care. They said staff were punctual, polite and had a good understanding of their individual needs. One person said, "Everything is done thoroughly, as I like it".