About the service: First Choice Homecare (Halesworth), is a domiciliary care provider based in the town of Halesworth, near the east coast of Suffolk. At the time of this inspection 58 people received personal care support from the service. The service supported older people, some of who were living with dementia and people with physical disabilities, within their own homes.

People’s experience of using this service:

People received a good service and felt safe with the support they received from the staff. People were supported by staff who were well trained and supported to carry out their job role safely. People received the support they needed to take their medicines safely and as their prescriber intended. Risks to people’s well-being and safety had been considered, recorded and mitigated against wherever possible.

People felt involved in their care, were asked for their views and felt that their views mattered. Individual’s care needs were well known by the staff who were supporting them. People received care in a manner which was in accordance with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were given the information needed to make informed choices, and their choices were respected. Where required, people were supported with their meals to their liking.

People received caring and kind support from care staff. The management team also frequently delivered people’s care and therefore also knew people very well. This enabled them to lead by example. Staff referred to people in a caring way. People were complimentary about staff and were positive about the caring relationships they were able to form with them. Staff consistently respected people's privacy and dignity and people were supported to be as independent as possible.

People who used the service and the staff thought highly of the acting manager and the provider organisation. People, their relatives and staff consistently told us they would positively recommend the service to other people. Staff felt they were supported and listened to and were given the opportunity to raise any queries or concerns. Staff were knowledgeable about people's preferences and routines and were supported in their own training and development.

The service was run by a clearly dedicated management team who demonstrated kindness and a commitment to the needs of the people who used the service as well as the staff who worked for them.

Rating at last inspection: This was the first rating’s inspection for the service.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the period of time since the service first registered with CQC.