Boo Care is a care service registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes (domiciliary care). The service specialises in providing a support to people in the local community and surrounding villages. We announced our intention to inspect the domiciliary service so we could be sure the registered manager, staff and people receiving a service were available to talk to us.

The inspection took place on 30 January 2019. This is the first inspection of the service since it was registered on 12 February 2018. 29 people were receiving a service at the time of the inspection.

People we spoke to told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them. One person said “I am very safe, very satisfied. They take their time and do all the things I ask.” A relative said “They never let you down. They always turn up on time. There are absolutely no worries.”

People received the care required to keep them safe in their own homes. They told us about the arrangements in place to enable staff to enter their homes safely and regarding their privacy and independence.

The provider had systems and processes in place to keep people safe and minimise the risk of abuse. Potential new staff were thoroughly checked to make sure they were suitable to work with people in their own home. New staff received a comprehensive induction and could shadow experienced staff. They did not complete visits to people alone until they felt confident.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of regular staff to meet their needs. People received reliable support from a team they knew. Staff arrived on time and did not let people down.

People were assessed to establish whether they needed or required assistance with medicines. Staff understood the varying levels of assistance that could be offered to people and the importance of clearly recording any medications they prompted or administered.

People received effective support from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People and their relatives felt confident that staff were trained and competent to deliver the range of care and support required.

People were supported to see healthcare professionals according to their individual needs. If they became unwell staff would contact family members or were able to call a doctor. When people needed to attend hospital, the service offered flexible support by moving the time of their visits.

People only received care and support with their consent. Staff told us they always checked when entering people’s homes that they wanted care and support that day.

People who received a service and their relatives told us staff were always kind and polite. Staff were described as “Kind and compassionate” and “Good, nice and kind.” People valued the companionship they received from their regular carers. One person said, “They are very caring. We have a good old laugh too.”

People received a range of services according to their assessed needs and personal preferences. People could choose how much care they required. Some people received two visits weekly to assist with a shower. Other people required several visits a day to enable them to stay safely in their own homes. Staff knew people and if they were unwell or if a family member was away additional visits could be made on a short-term basis.

People received care that was responsive to their needs because all staff involved in the service understood the importance of knowing people well and continually checking that the support they were providing continued to be what the person required.

The service was well led by the registered manager who put people firmly at the centre of the service they provided. They listened to people and acted to ensure the service they received was reliable, flexible and caring. People using the service, their relatives and staff found the registered manager to be knowledgeable and supportive.