This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to people with a range of needs including older adults. One person was using the service and the registered manager was the primary member of staff who supported them.

At our last inspection on 11 December 2017 we were unable to rate the service because there was insufficient evidence to do so. At this inspection we found similar concerns to our previous inspection and found there was enough evidence to rate the service Requires Improvement.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of 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. The registered manager was also the director of the service and had been in post since the service registered with us.

At this inspection we had sufficient evidence to rate the service Requires Improvement overall. The provider had not ensured people’s care records were stored and maintained securely and the only copy of a person’s care plan had gone missing. The provider lacked good oversight of the service as they had not identified the issues we found. These issues showed the registered manager lacked full understanding of their role and responsibilities.

As at our last inspection we found the provider had not always robustly checked staff had the right to work in the UK. When we raised our concerns, the provider carried out employer checks with the Home Office and sent us the required evidence.

The provider carried out other staff recruitment checks appropriately such as checks of any criminal records, work history, proof of identification and address, health conditions and references from former employers. There were enough staff deployed to support people safely.

The provider was no longer administering medicines so we did not look at medicines management at this inspection.

A person received care in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the registered manager had improved their understanding of the Act since our last inspection. Staff received training in the MCA.

Staff received training each year in key topics relevant to their role to help them understand their responsibilities.

The provider had systems in place to protect people from abuse and neglect and staff received annual training in safeguarding adults at risk.

The provider’s risk assessment processes remained suitable. The registered manager told us they had not had reason to review the person’s risk assessments since our last inspection but they would review them annually as standard or more often if required.

A person was involved in decisions regarding their care and received support with their day to day health. Staff were available to support people in relation to eating and drinking if this was part of the agreed package of care.

The provider had a complaints procedure to follow in investigating and responding to any complaints although they had not received any complaints.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to people with a range of need including older adults. This was the first inspection of the service since the service registered with us on 13 December 2016. There was one person using the service at the time of our inspection, a privately funded person with low support needs, who had been using the service for around three months. We were unable to rate the service because there was insufficient evidence available for us to do so.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of 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.

Although staff were recruited via procedures to check their suitability, the provider did not always check staff had the right to work in the UK. When we identified this the provider then obtained the necessary evidence confirming the right to work in the UK and told us they would ensure they carried out more robust checks during recruitment. There were enough staff deployed to support people safely.

The provider did not always record administration of a topical cream in line with best practice. This meant there were insufficient records of medicine administration to provide a robust audit trail. The provider told us they would improve this immediately. We have made a recommendation in relation to recording of topical medicines administration.

Although a person received care in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 the registered manager was unsure about how to follow the Act if a person did not have capacity in relation to their care. The registered manager told us they would improve their knowledge in relation to this by reviewing relevant literature.

The provider trained staff in key topics to help them understand their role and also supervised staff to further support them.

The provider had systems in place to protect people from abuse and neglect.

Risks relating to people’s care were reduced because the provider assessed and managed risks and put guidance in place for staff to follow. People’s care plans contained sufficient detail about people to be reliable to staff in caring for people.

People were involved in decisions regarding their care. People were supported to maintain their health and were supported in relation to eating and drinking by staff. Staff understood people’s needs and preferences.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place although they had not received any complaints.

A person and staff had confidence in the registered manager. However, we found the provider had not yet established systems to sufficiently audit the service and they had not identified the issues we found. We also identified some areas where the registered manager could improve the service and strengthen their knowledge.