This comprehensive inspection took place on 5 and 6 December 2018 and was announced.

My Homecare Sutton and Surrey is a home care agency that provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community.

On the day of our inspection this agency was providing personal care to 11 older people who lived in North Surrey and the London Borough of Sutton. Most people who received a home care service from this agency were also living with various forms of dementia.

One person the agency supported did not receive a regulated activity from them. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, which includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

The service has had the same registered manager in post since they registered with us 12 months ago. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage a service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This provider was newly registered with the CQC in December 2017. This is the first time this new home care agency will have been inspected and rated by us. We have rated the service ‘Good’ overall and for all four out of the five key questions, ‘Is the service safe, effective, caring and responsive?’

However, we have rated them as ‘requires improvement’ for well-led. This was because we identified a number of issues about this key question. Specifically, we found the provider had not maintained sufficiently detailed and easily accessible records in relation to people using the service, persons employed and the overall management of the home care agency. We have recommended that the provider considers ways to improve how they maintain and organise records they are required to keep.

This issue notwithstanding, we found there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated any serious risks or concerns about My Homecare Sutton and Surrey. For example, although some aspects of the service were not well-led, the monitoring of service provision was effective because repeated shortfalls were identified and resolved. There was also an open and transparent culture. People the provider supported, their relatives and staff were complimentary about the leadership approach of the registered manager. People, their relatives and staff were asked to share their feedback about the service action was taken in response.

People the provider supported, their relatives and professional representatives were all extremely complimentary about the standard of the service they, their loved ones or clients received from this home care agency.

People received a safe service where they were protected from avoidable harm, discrimination and abuse. Risks associated with people’s needs had been assessed and planned for and these were monitored for any changes. Staff were usually punctual and never missed their scheduled visits. There were safe staff recruitment procedures in place and used. Where people needed assistance with taking their medicine this was monitored and safely managed in line with best practice guidance. Accidents and incidents were analysed for lessons learnt and these were shared with the staff team to reduce further reoccurrence.

People received an effective home care service. Staff received the training and support they required, including specialist training to meet people’s individual needs. People were supported with their nutritional needs. Staff identified when people required further support with eating and drinking and took appropriate action. The staff worked well with external health care professionals, people were supported with their needs and accessed health services whe