Spencer & Arlington provides personal care to people in their own home. The service supports some people on a 24 hour basis and others who may require support with personal care needs at specific times during the day and/or night. The service was supporting 47 people with personal care at the time of our inspection.

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.

People and their relatives felt confident that people were safe when receiving care in their own homes. Staff knew how to identify potential abuse and report concerns. Potential risks to people’s health and well-being were identified, reviewed and managed effectively to support people safely. Staff recruitment processes were thorough to ensure staff employed at the service were suitable and able to work with vulnerable people. There were sufficient numbers of familiar staff available to meet people’s individual needs. People were supported to take their medicines safely.

People received their care from a well supported staff team that had a clear understanding of people's care needs and the skills and knowledge to meet them. The registered manager and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and demonstrated how to apply the principles of this legislation to their everyday practice. Staff obtained people’s consent before providing any support and respected people’s right to make their own decisions. People were supported to maintain good healthcare and they were supported to access health care professionals when necessary. People were provided with appropriate levels of support to help them choose a diet that met their individual needs, preferences and well-being.

People and their relatives were fully involved in the assessment and planning of people’s care. Care records included people’s preferences and individual needs so that staff had clear information on how to give people the support that they needed. People’s dignity and privacy was respected and people were encouraged to develop new skills and levels of independence. People

found the staff to be reliable, friendly and caring. People’s relationships with others were encouraged and valued.

Staff understood people’s needs and provided care and support accordingly. People were provided with care based on their individual needs in a person centred way. People were supported to participate in a range of social activities and occupation, including community based outings. An effective system was in place to respond to people’s complaints and concerns.

People and staff knew the registered manager, care manager and office staff and found them to be approachable and available. Systems were in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service people received. People had the opportunity to say how they felt about the service provided and influence changes and improvements.