This was an announced inspection that took place on 18 April 2018.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It is located in the Stockwell area and covers south London.

There was 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection in January 2017 the overall rating was requires improvement and the key questions of safe and well-led required improvement. The key questions for effective, caring and responsive were rated good.

We asked the provider to take action to make improvements regarding the recording of medicine administered to people and this action has been completed. In addition we asked the provider to make improvements to the service quality audits and this action has been completed.

The two people receiving a service were satisfied with the care and support they received.

The records were up to date and covered all aspects of the care and support people received, the support choices they had made and identified that they were being met. They contained clearly recorded, fully completed, and regularly reviewed information that enabled staff to perform their duties.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding the tasks they performed, the people they supported and the way they liked to be supported. Staff had appropriate skills and provided care and support in a professional, friendly and kind way that was focussed on people as individuals. Staff knew that they must treat people equally and respect their diversity and human rights.

Staff received appropriate training, were knowledgeable and made themselves accessible to the people and their relatives. They said the organisation was a good place to work; they enjoyed their work and had access to good training and support.

People were encouraged to discuss health and other needs with staff who passed on agreed information to GP’s and other community based health professionals, if required.

Staff protected people from nutrition and hydration associated risks by giving advice about healthy food options and balanced diets whilst still making sure their likes, dislikes and preferences were met.

The agency were aware of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and their responsibilities regarding it.

The registered manager was approachable, responsive, encouraged feedback from the person and consistently monitored and assessed the quality of the service provided.

This inspection took place on 10 January 2017 and was announced. We gave the registered manager 24 hours’ notice as we needed to be sure they would be available for the inspection. Lambeth provides personal care to four people in their own homes. This is the first time the service had been inspected by us.

There was a registered manager in post who has managed the service for several years. 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.

At this inspection we found one breach of regulation of the Health and Social Care Act 2014 (Regulated Activities) Regulations relating to safe care and treatment. We also made a recommendation relating to the management of the service. Although staff were trained in the safe administration of medicines, we found that medicines administered were not always recorded as given on the medicine administration charts. Staff knew what action to follow if there was a medicine error.

The service checked staff suitability to work with vulnerable people before they started work. Criminal records were checked and references were obtained. However, the references were not always verified to ensure they came from right people. Risk assessments were in place and detailed actions to manage identified risks and to keep people safe. People who required equipment for safe transfers had them and staff knew to use these.

Staff understood how to recognise signs of abuse and how to protect people from the risk of abuse. They also knew how to escalate concerns to external authorities if need be. Staff understood their responsibilities within the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People gave staff their consent to care and support. Staff were supported through effective induction, supervision, appraisal and training to provide an effective service to people.

The service worked with social care and health care professionals to ensure they received co-ordinated care. People were supported to arrange appointments to ensure their health needs were met. Relevant professionals were involved to ensure people received appropriate support and care that met their needs.

People were supported to eat and drink appropriately and to meet their dietary and nutritional requirements. Staff supported people to do their food shopping and to prepare meals. People told us staff treated them with kindness, compassion and respect. Staff provided support to people in the way they wanted to be cared for. People and their representatives were involved in their care planning and these were reviewed and updated regularly to reflect people’s changing needs.

People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to provide feedback and to raise concerns. The service monitored the quality of service delivered and acted on feedback received to improve the service.

The registered manager told us on the 11 February 2013 there were no people using the service. We were assured that Lambeth Domiciliary Care Agency had the processes and systems in place to be compliant as and when they begin to provide a service.