This was an announced inspection which took place on 13 and 15 September 2016. The inspection was announced to ensure that the registered manager or another responsible person would be available to assist with the inspection visit.

This was the first comprehensive inspection of the service following their registration with the CQC in July 2015.

Prosper Community Care Limited is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide personal care to people living in their own home. At the time of our inspection seven people were using the service.

A registered manager was in place. 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 who used the service and their relatives were complimentary and positive about the attitude and support of the care workers. They told us calls were never missed and where staff were unable to arrive on time the registered manager arranged for another care worker to attend the visit.

Care workers we spoke with told us they had undergone a thorough recruitment process. They told us training appropriate to the work they carried out was always available to them and following their employee induction. This helped to make sure the care provided was safe and responsive to meet peoples identified needs.

Care workers also confirmed they had received safeguarding and whistle blowing training and knew who to report to if they suspected or witnessed abuse or poor practice. Individual staff training records indicated that all care workers had received such training and were working towards a nationally recognised qualification in care such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in health and social care and the Care Certificate. This is a professional qualification which aims to equip health and social care staff with the knowledge and skills they need to provide safe care and support to people using the service. The care workers told us they also received regular supervision from the registered manager in the form of one to one meetings and on the job spot checks which helped them to carry out their roles effectively.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of suitably trained staff. We saw that recruitment procedures ensured staff had the appropriate qualities to protect the safety of people who used the service and we saw they received the training and support required to meet people’s needs.

A person using the service and their relative told us that the care workers treated them caringly, sensitively and with respect and they tried to make sure that their independence was maintained wherever possible.

Care records were in place to reflect people’s identified care needs. Information about how people wanted to be supported, their likes and dislikes, when support was required and how this was to be delivered was also included in the care records we examined. We saw written evidence of people and their relatives being involved in the decision making process at initial assessment stage and during their care needs review.

Medicines were administered by staff who had been given appropriate training to ensure that they were given safely.

Information regarding people’s dietary needs was included in their care support plan and guidance for care workers helped make sure these requirements were met. Any specific requirements in relation to medication, such as ‘to be taken with food’ were clearly documented so that care workers were aware of any risk.

Where people who used the service did not have the capacity to make their own decisions, the service ensured that decisions taken were in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framewor