About the service: Eyam Domiciliary Service provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were 63 people using the service. This included 58 older people and five younger adults. This may included people living with dementia, a sensory impairment and a physical or learning disability including autistic spectrum disorder.

People’s experience of using this service: The service continued to meet the characteristics of Good in all areas.

People continued to receive care that was safe. The provider’s arrangements for people’s care helped to protect them people the risk of harm or abuse. Staff were safely recruited and deployed to provide people’s care. Risks to people’s health, associated with their care and related safety needs, were effectively monitored and managed. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely when required. Relevant management checks of staff care practice and competency helped to ensure people’s safety when they received care.

People continued to received care that was effective. People’s care needs were effectively accounted for in consultation with them or their representative. Staff supported people to maintain or improve their health and nutrition when needed. People’s care was provided in the least restrictive way possible and to maximise people’s choice and control in their care. Staff were trained, informed, supported and worked closely with relevant agencies involved for people’s care. This helped to ensure people received consistent and informed care, which they had agreed to.

People continued to receive care from kind, caring staff who treated them with respect and ensured people’s dignity, equality and rights in their care. Staff knew people well; how to communicate with them and understood what was important to people them for their care. People were informed, involved and supported to understand, agree and make ongoing decisions about their care.

People continued to receive timely, personalised care that was tailored to their individual needs and wishes. Care was agreed and provided in a way that helped to optimise people’s independence, autonomy and inclusion. People were confident and knew how, to raise a concern or make a complaint if they needed to. People’s views and feedback were regularly sought. Findings from complaints and feedback were used to help inform and ensure any service improvements needed. Staff were effectively informed and supported to provide personal care for people living with a life limited illness or at the end stage of life.

The provider operated effective governance systems to ensure the quality and safety of people’s care and for sustained or timely service improvement when needed. Management and staff understood their role and responsibilities for people’s care. Operational management arrangements helped to ensure effective record keeping, safe information handling and timely communication, engagement and partnership working with relevant parities for people’s care..

More information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection: Good. Report published April 2016

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This inspection took place on 10 February 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to visit the office, talk to staff and review records.

Eyam Domiciliary Service provides personal care and support to people who live in their homes in and around the Dronfield area of Derbyshire. At the time of this inspection 65 people received support from the agency.

There was a registered manager at the service 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.

People told us they felt comfortable and safe with the care provided by Eyam Domiciliary Services. Any risks to people’s health or risks in their homes were identified and assessed in care plans with people. Contingency plans were also in place to manage any risks to the delivery of the service. Staff recruitment and deployment was managed safely. Procedures were followed to ensure people receiving medicines were supported to do so safely.

The provider’s policy on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 was being updated to clarify the role of the service and the role of care workers in making assessments of people’s capacity when needed. People’s consent to their care and support was obtained in line with guidance. People received support from staff with the skills and knowledge to meet their needs, including how to support people with their nutrition and hydration needs. People were supported to access other healthcare provision when required.

People were cared for by staff that were kind, polite and caring. Staff told us they had developed positive and caring relationships with the people they cared for. Staff supported people with their independence and promoted people’s dignity and privacy. People were involved in planning their care and support.

People were supported to raise any worries or concerns, and where people had done so these had been resolved. People received personalised and responsive care and their views and preferences were respected. People’s views were valued by the service and led to changes and improvements.

The service promoted an open and inclusive culture. The registered manager was well known by people using the service and they demonstrated an inclusive style of leadership. Arrangements to check on the quality and safety of people’s care were regularly completed by senior staff.