The inspection was announced and took place on 17 May 2018. We gave the provider 48 hours’ of our intention to undertake the inspection. This was because the service provides domiciliary care to people in their own homes and we needed to make sure someone would be available at the office.

Kalyan Ashram provides personal care for people, living in a converted building where there are individual flats with shared facilities, such as a dining area and lounge areas. Staff provide personal care and support to people at pre-arranged times and in emergencies. There were eight people receiving personal care when we inspected. Since the last inspection of Kalyan Ashram the provider has changed and the service was under new ownership. As a result of this change this will be their first ratings inspection of this location.

A registered manager was in place. A 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 said they felt safe and enjoyed living at Kalyan Ashram.Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and were clear about the steps they would take if they suspected someone was unsafe.

People said that staff were available to them when needed and they were supported to take their medicines when they needed them.

Staff said training helped them do their job and gave them the right skills to meet the needs of the people they supported.

People told us that they were involved in the care and support that they received. Staff understood they could only care for and support people who consented to being cared for.

People told us that staff were quick to respond when they were unwell and they were supported to access health professionals when needed.

People told us that staff helped them prepare meals or supported them to the restaurant on site when needed. Staff ensured people were offered a choice of meals and drinks.

People we spoke with were positive about the care that they received. They told us staff were kind and caring and treated them with respect. Staff provided support that ensured people were treated with privacy and dignity. People were supported by staff to maintain their independence.

People and staff were confident of the actions they would take if they had concerns and that any concerns would be dealt with appropriately.

People told us that the staff and management were approachable and if they had any concerns they would be listened to.

The management team ensured regular checks were completed to monitor the quality of the care that people received and action had been taken where areas were identified for improvement.

The provider demonstrated clear leadership. Staff were supported to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively, so that people received care and support in-line with their needs and wishes.

People were positive about the care and support they received and the service as a whole.