South West Independence Limited Care at Home is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, this means they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

At the time of the inspection five people were receiving the regulated activity ‘personal care’.

This inspection was announced and took place on 18 October 2018. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be at the office and able to assist us to arrange home visits.

“The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.” Registering the Right Support CQC policy

A registered manager was 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated Good

People told us and indicated they felt safe living when receiving care and support from the service, one person said, “Safe? Yes, always safe they are really good.”

There were processes and practices in place to keep people safe. The provider had a robust recruitment programme which meant all new staff were checked to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people. All staff had received training in safeguarding vulnerable people. All staff spoken to were able to tell us what they would look for and how they would report anything they thought put people at risk of harm or abuse.

People received effective care and support from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. All staff attended regular updates of the organisations mandatory training Staff also received training about the specific needs people had for example, the safe management of epilepsy.

People who were able told us, and we saw, they were cared for by kind and caring staff some of whom went over and above what was expected of them. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity at all times. People told us they were involved in their care planning and they could express an opinion about the care provided and contribute to any changes.

People received responsive care and support which was personalised to their individual needs and wishes. There was clear guidance for staff on how to communicate with people and how to know when a person was not happy or distressed. People were supported to access health care services and see healthcare professionals when necessary.

People took part in a range of activities which included not only their regular clubs and daily routines but achieving goals and their wish list. People were supported to go on regular holidays and pursue interests. People were also actively involved in the local community and one person was supported to be an advocate talk

This inspection was announced and took place on 31 March 2015. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available for the inspection. It also allowed us to arrange to visit people receiving a service in their own homes.

South West Independence provides personal care to people in an assisted housing complex. People who use the service have individual tenancy agreements for self-contained flats within a shared building. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care to five people. We visited three people in their homes to discuss the care package they received.

This was the first inspection of the service since they re-registered at their new location. No concerns have been identified with the care being provided to people.

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.

People who received care and support from South West Independence told us they were happy with the service provided. They said the registered manager and staff were open and approachable and cared about their personal preferences and maintaining their independence. One person said, “I Like it here they are all very nice and they know what I like and don’t like.” Another person said, “I am really happy here, they know I like football and snooker.”

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had a clear knowledge and understanding of their personal needs, likes and dislikes. We observed the registered manager and staff took the time to talk with people during visits to their flats. One person said, “I know everybody and I know who is coming and when.” That person also said the staff went further to make them happy. They explained, “They got me a letter from Arsenal for my 50th, and took me to Cardiff for the snooker.”

People told us they received care from care workers who were knowledgeable about their needs and were appropriately trained to meet them. Care workers had access to training specific to their roles and the needs of people For example they had attended training in the management of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). This is a way of ensuring people with swallowing difficulties receive the nutrients they need through a tube direct into their stomach. Staff told us the training they received was good one staff member said, “I have managed to attend plenty of training and achieved my qualifications.”

People said they were cared for and supported by care workers who were polite, compassionate and caring. One person indicated “Yes,” when we asked if people respected their privacy and dignity another person said, “They always wait until I say they can come in to my flat.”

People’s care needs were recorded and reviewed regularly with senior staff and the person receiving the care. All care plans included written consent to care. Care workers had comprehensive information and guidance in care plans to deliver consistent care in the way people preferred. One person said, “We have talked about my care plan so I know it’s there.”

During our visit to one person’s apartment we observed a relaxed and friendly relationship between the person and care worker. The person communicated through their computer and through facial expressions. They were very happy and laughing throughout the visit and indicated they were very happy with the staff delivering their care.

The registered manager had a clear vision for the service. They explained they aimed to, “Support people with a level of independence they could achieve themselves.” They also said they aimed to do this by providing care and su