This inspection took place on 15 January 2019 and was announced.

Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides personal care and support for 11 people with learning disabilities who lived in individual flats in a modern purpose built building. The service also provided support for six people who lived in the local community.

Not everyone using Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service receives the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

At our last inspection in February 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Staff had been trained about safeguarding people from avoidable harm and were knowledgeable about the potential risks and signs of abuse. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and managed in the least restrictive way possible. Enough staff were available to meet people’s needs. People were supported to take their medicines safely. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment was provided for them. The management used incidents as a learning tool to help further ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.

Staff received training and supervision to enable them to meet people’s care and support needs. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People had choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and wellbeing. The staff and management team worked in partnership with external professionals and families to help ensure people’s needs were identified and met.

People had a stable team of staff to support them which helped to ensure continuity and enabled people to form bonds with the staff. Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence and respecting their dignity. People's care records were stored securely to help maintain their dignity and confidentiality.

People had been involved in developing care plans that addressed all areas of their lives. Staff were matched as far as possible with the people they supported in terms of gender, interests and skills. The registered manager had not received any concerns or complaints from people who used the service or their relatives in recent times but had appropriate processes in place to manage these.

There was a range of routine checks undertaken by the registered manager which were effective in identifying shortfalls. The registered manager was committed to providing good care and support and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the staff they employed and people who used the service.

This inspection took place on 11 February 2016. We gave the provider 48 hour notice before we carried out the inspection to ensure we could access the information we needed.

Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service provides personal care and support to people with learning disabilities who lived in 11 individual flats located in the same building. The service also provided support for people who lived in the community; however at the time of the inspection the five people who were supported by the service in the community did not receive personal care.

We last inspected the service on 16 January 2014 and found that they met the fundamental standards. At this inspection we found they continued to meet the standards required.

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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were supported by staff who were knowledgeable in safeguarding procedures and how to report concerns of abuse internally and externally to safeguarding authorities.

People were supported to understand the risks associated with their daily activities and encouraged to take positive risks and live an active life as independently as they were able to.

There were sufficient numbers of qualified and skilled staff to meet people`s needs at all times. Recruitment procedures were safe and effective and helped to ensure that staff employed to support people were of good character and able to carry out their role safely and effectively.

People were supported to independently take their medicines and their ability to do this was regularly assessed. However staff were trained in safe handling of medicines to help ensure they were skilled to administer medicines to people if required.

People`s consent for the support they received was constantly sought by staff using various communication methods to help ensure people understood what they were consenting too. Their consent to the support they received was also recorded in their support plans.

People told us staff were kind and caring in their approach and always treated them with respect. Staff promoted people`s dignity and respected their privacy.

People had regular reviews of their support needs and where appropriate people`s relatives and care coordinators were involved to ensure their needs were met at all times.

People were encouraged and supported to pursue their hobbies and interests, to be actively involved in the community and participate in sports activities which they thoroughly enjoyed.

The provider actively sought people`s views on the service in regular meetings and in addition they sent annual questionnaires to people using the service, staff, health and social care professionals and relatives. They also contacted an independent company to carry out an impartial survey which also included all the above. The results were analysed and a service improvement action plan was developed to ensure improvements were made to the service provision.

On the day of inspection we saw a calm and welcoming environment consisting of eleven supported living flats, a laundry and a well-equipped common room. People said that they "enjoyed living here", that there were "nice staff" and that they were "happy to be here".

We found care to be provided by qualified and supportive staff who aided people to live as independently as they can but support people when the need is there. We also found that care was led by the people who used the service and that they were involved throughout the care planning and review process.

Staff were fully aware of safeguarding procedures and an emergency call button system was in place for people to contact staff in an emergency.