This inspection was carried out on 12 April 2017 and was announced. This was the service's first inspection since registering with the Care Quality Commission.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. On this occasion the registered manager was also the provider.

Sanctuary Home Care Ltd - Bushey Heath provides personal care for the Dominican sisters who live at the convent. At the time of the inspection ten people were receiving personal care. The prioress who also lives at the convent, works closely with Sanctuary Home Care to help ensure that people’s needs are met. People have given their permission for the prioress to act as their advocate when required.

People told us they felt safe and their individual risks were assessed and managed. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had undergone employment checks prior to working in the service. People where required were supported to administer their medicines.

There were appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a safe and effective service. Staff were aware of people’s rights and choices, and provided people with person centred care. Medicines were administered safely by staff who had received training.

The provider had a safe recruitment process in place which helped to ensure that staff were qualified and suitable to work in the convent. Staff had undertaken appropriate training and had received regular supervision and an annual appraisal, which enabled them to meet people’s needs. Staff were supported to deliver a good service and felt supported by their registered manager. The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service they provided.

People were supported to make decisions for themselves and encouraged to be as independent as possible. People, and /or other professionals were involved in planning the support people required.

People were supported to eat and drink and to access healthcare services when required. Staff were quick to act on peoples’ changing needs and were responsive to people who required support.