Christchurch Care Agency is a large Domiciliary Care Service, which provides personal care and support for people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection approximately 160 people were receiving support with personal care. The inspection started on 5 September by carrying out a visit to the agency office. On the 7, 8, 12 and 15 September 2016 we made telephone calls to speak with people using the service, relatives and staff.

The service had a registered manager 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.

Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and what they needed to do to protect people from abuse. Risks to individuals and their home environment were identified and managed. Risk assessments were centred on the needs of the individual, to enable people to live at home safely and independently within their capabilities.

The staffing arrangements ensured there were enough staff to meet the needs of people using the service. Contingency plans were in place to provide staff cover for any unforeseen emergencies and short notice staff absences.

Robust staff recruitment processes ensured that staff employed to work at the service had the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience and were suitable to work with people using the service.

Where the service was responsible, people’s medicines were managed appropriately. Staff received appropriate training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to meet the range of needs of people using the service. A training academy was in the process of being set up by the provider to be based at the agency office.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 were followed when assessing people’s capacity. Staff were aware of the requirements of the MCA legislation and ensured that consent was obtained from people before providing their care.

Where the service was responsible, people were supported to have a balanced diet that promoted healthy eating. Staff met people’s day to day health and welfare needs and took appropriate action in response to changing health conditions requiring medical intervention.

People’s needs were assessed and their care plans had sufficient detail to reflect how they wanted to receive their care and support to be provided. People using the service and/or their relatives were involved in the care reviews.

People were treated with kindness and compassion and their privacy was respected. The staff understood and promoted the principles of person centred care.

Complaints were responded to appropriately and were used as an opportunity for learning and improvement. The registered manager understood their responsibilities and they were knowledgeable of the needs of all people using the service. Staff delivered a quality service and understood and promoted the ethos and vision of the service.

Management systems were in place to monitor and review the quality of the service people received and drive continuous improvement.

During our inspection we spoke with four people who used the service. They told us that they were well cared for and that during their visit staff always checked that they wanted their care on that occasion. One person told us, "They look after me very well.” Another person we spoke with said staff were, “A real help.”

We asked them about their care and one person told us, “They have helped hugely.” Another person’s relative we spoke with said, “They (the carers) are brilliant, they have made such a difference to (their relative).”

We looked at the care records of three people who used the service which showed that people’s needs had been assessed and that care plans and risk assessments were in place to guide staff in meeting the needs of the person safely. Staff received support and training to ensure they had the necessary skills to meet people’s needs.

The people we spoke with said they were provided with useful information about the service and were able to discuss their care and needs with senior staff. They said they had received an assessment of their needs and felt staff were very good at meeting those needs. They told us they felt safe and well cared for by a reliable and competent staff team who always knew what to do to assist them. People said they had no concerns about the service but knew how to raise concerns should they need to.

During our visit we found people were provided with useful information about the service. We saw that people received an assessment of their needs and these were being updated. We found that staff were receiving supervision, completing a program of training and were knowledgeable in such things as protecting people from the risk of abuse.

We found that the service had quality monitoring systems in place and people had a variety of methods available for them to share their views and opinions about the service. People's feedback about the service was very positive.

One person said of Christchurch Care Agency: "It is an excellent service. They do everything I want very well and take their time to do a good job." Another person said: "I rely on them and they don't and never have let me down. I'd be lost without them."