Berkeley Home Health -East of England is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people who live in their own houses or flats and provides live–in care staff to people in their own homes. It provides a service to adults. Not everyone using Berkeley Home Health – East of England receives the regulated activity; 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.

This service was registered on 4 October 2017. This was their first inspection.

At the time of this announced comprehensive inspection of 23 November 2018, there were 54 people who used the service and received ‘personal care’. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection. We also wanted to give them sufficient time to seek agreements with people and their relatives so that we could visit them in their homes to find out about their experience of using the service.

A registered manager was in post. 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.

Berkeley Home Health - East of England was exceptionally well led. There was visible and effective leadership in an open and transparent culture that resulted in an effectively organised, supportive and well-run service. The registered manager demonstrated how their robust quality assurance systems had sustained continual development and improvement at the service. They were clear about their expectations relating to how the service should be provided and led by example. They were supported by care workers and an office management team that were passionate and fully committed to delivering quality person-centred care to people. Morale was high within the service.

Without exception, people and their relatives were extremely complimentary about their experience of using the service. They were full of praise about their care workers and shared numerous examples of how their care workers consistently provided them with personalised, tailored care in responsive to their needs. They described how their care workers took the time to ensure every small detail of the care provided met their individual needs and wishes and the positive impact this had on their well-being. Everybody we spoke with said that they would highly recommend the service.

People told us that the care workers were kind, compassionate and respectful towards them. They described how they trusted and felt safe with the care workers, who knew them well and encouraged them to be as independent as possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care workers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s care records were comprehensive, accurate and reflected the care and support provided. Care workers consistently protected people’s privacy and dignity.

Systems were in place to minimise the risks to people, including from abuse, and in relation to mobility, nutrition and with accessing the community. Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe.

Recruitment checks were carried out with sufficient numbers of care workers employed. They had the knowledge and skills, through regular supervision and training, to meet people’s needs.

Where people required assistance with their medicines, safe systems were followed. Systems were in place to reduce the risks of cross infection.

The service worked in partnership with other agencies. Where care worke