About the service:

S&S Care is registered as a domiciliary care agency providing the regulated activity 'personal care' to people who live in their own homes. At the time of the inspection visit there were 20 people using the service.

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 registered manager and deputy managers are both directors (providers).

People’s experience of using this service:

¿ People’s safety was promoted by staff who were trained to recognise signs of potential abuse and how to manage and report any situations in which people may be at risk.

¿ People received their care from a small consistent staff team who they were able to build trusting

relationships with.

¿ People were provided with the right care at the right time because the management team closely managed and reviewed staffing arrangements to ensure people’s needs were safely met.

¿ People’s safety was promoted as the management team had systems and processes which helped to minimise risks.

¿ People benefitted from staff who used effective practices to reduce the risks of infections spreading.

¿ People were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to help them to maintain and develop their independence.

¿ People were supported with their medicines and good nutrition where this was a requirement of the care they received.

¿ People were supported to have control and choice over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

¿ People and their relatives told us staff knew people’s care preferences well, and supported people in the ways they preferred.

¿ People were complimentary about how staff treated them as individuals and respected their privacy, dignity and lifestyle choices.

¿ People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to make any suggestions for improving the care provided and the service provided further.

¿ The management team worked well together to maintain systems to monitor and continuously improve the quality of services provided for people.

¿ The registered manager had showed a responsive approach to our previous inspection and made the required improvements.

Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement. The last report for S&S Care was published on 28 April 2017.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The rating has improved to Good overall.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive until we return, as part of the inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This inspection took place on 09 and 14 March 2017 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice that we would be visiting the service. This was because the service provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure staff would be available. This was S&S Care Service’s first inspection since registration.

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.

S&S Care Services is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were twenty people using the service. Support is provided to people who may have physical disabilities, learning disability or mental health needs. The service supports people who require support with personal care needs at various times of the day.

People felt safe. Staff had received training and understood the different types of abuse and knew what action they would take if they thought a person was at risk of harm.

Risks assessments were not always personalised to people’s individual needs so risks associated with peoples care were reduced.

People were supported with their medication by staff that had received appropriate training. People had been involved in the planning of their care and received support in line with their care plan.

People were supported to make choices and were involved in the care and support they received. The provider took actions to ensure people’s legal rights were protected.

Staff were trained and supported so that they had the knowledge and skills to enable them to care for people in a way that met their [people’s] individual needs and preferences. Where appropriate people were supported to access health and social care professionals.

Staff was caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People’s choices and independence was respected and promoted and staff responded to people’s support needs.

People, relatives and staff felt they could speak with the provider about their worries or concerns and felt they would be listened to and were confident changes would be made if needed

The provider had quality assurance and audit systems in place to monitor the care and support people received to ensure the service remained consistent. Records were not always personalised to show people’s individual care needs. Notification required to be sent to us by law were not always sent in a timely manner. Records that were required to be kept at the registered office were not always available for example copy of people care plans.