We inspected the service on 11 October 2018. The provider was given 48 hours' notice of the inspection. We gave notice because this is a small service where staff are often out of the office during the day and we needed to make sure that the registered manager would be available to meet us.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to adults living in their own houses and flats in the community. The service is registered to support; older people, people with physical disability, people with sensory impairment and younger adults.

Not everyone using Sherwood Prime Care ltd receives a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. We would also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection it was confirmed that 52 people using the service received 'personal care’.

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.

The service was safe. Staff had good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and how to keep people safe. Risks were thoroughly assessed and incidents responded to effectively. We found that recruitment was safely managed and there were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Staff followed infection control procedures. We found medicines required some improved written recording, the registered manager had begun to action this by the end of the inspection day.

The service was effective at meeting people’s needs. Care plans allowed people’s needs to be effectively met. Staff had received training specific to the people they supported. The service effectively supported people with multiple complex health conditions by close involvement with health and social care professionals. People’s dietary needs were assessed and supported effectively. We found that staff had a good knowledge of consent. However, some written capacity assessments (mental capacity act) required further improvement. The registered manager had begun improving this by the end of the inspection day.

The service was exceptionally caring. During the inspection day we saw evidence of multiple caring interactions. We felt that the service had gone “above and beyond” with its support of people using the service. Of the 19 people we spoke to, they all reported very caring staff.

The service was responsive at meeting people’s changing needs. People reported that they had a choice in how care was delivered and this could be adapted easily for them. We found that people were encouraged to report concerns and complaints and these had been responded to fully and openly. At the time of our inspection, no one was receiving end of life care. However, we saw evidence that end of life care had been supported effectively in the past.

The service was well led. The high quality of management support had impacted on the quality of the care provided. The Sherwood mission statement was “High quality care and happy staff”. Our inspection found this was highly accurate. People’s care needs were well met, and staff were well supported in their roles. People were encouraged to feedback to the service and the registered manager and provider worked together closely to sustain improvements.

This announced inspection was carried out on 11 January 2016. Sherwood Prime Care Ltd provides support and personal care to adults living in north Nottinghamshire. On the day of the inspection there were 33 people using the service who received personal care.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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 understood the risks people could face and knew how to make people feel safe. People were encouraged to be independent with as little restriction as possible.

People knew the staff who supported them, who worked well together as a team. People received a flexible service that suited their individual circumstances. People who were supported to take their medicines received support to do so when this was needed.

People were provided with the care and support they wanted by staff who were trained and supported to do so. People’s human rights to make decisions for themselves were respected and they provided consent to their care when needed.

People were supported to consume a sufficient amount of food and fluids that promoted their wellbeing. People received support from staff who understood their health conditions.

People were treated with respect by staff who demonstrated compassion and understanding. People were involved in determining their care and support and were treated in the way they wished to be.

People were able to influence the way their care and support was delivered and they could rely on this being provided in this way. People were encouraged to express any issues of concerns they had so these could be acted upon.

People who used the service and staff were able to express their views about the service which were acted upon. The registered manager provided leadership that gained the respect of staff and motivated them as a team. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and make improvements when needed.

This inspection was carried out to follow up on our previous inspection in September 2013 where we found the provider had not been compliant with the outcome “Suitability of staffing."

Prior to our visit we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider, including an action plan detailing how they would comply with the compliance action we set at the previous inspection. During the visit we spoke with the provider and the registered manager and looked at some of the records held in the service.

We found the provider had made the improvements we required to become complaint, so that new staff had the required checks completed prior to starting work in the service.

Prior to our visit we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider. During the inspection we spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives and asked them for their views. We also spoke with four care workers, the registered manager and the provider. We also looked at some of the records held in the service including the care files for four people.

We found people gave consent to their care and received care and support that met their needs. A person told us, “I am quite happy with them, I tell them how I want them to work.” Another person told us, “When they say they will do something they do it.”

We found people who used the service were protected from abuse and the staff team was made up of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. A person told us, “I feel safe with them. They always wear their uniform and have badges.”

We found the provider was implementing ways to assess and monitor the quality of the service that people received. A person told us, “I am getting a very good service, I am very pleased with all of them.”