About the service:

The Private Care Company Limited is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support services for a range of people living in their own homes, who want to remain independent. These included older people, people with learning disabilities and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 112 people were receiving a care service. For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

People’s experience of using this service:

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.

People were protected from avoidable harm. Staff knew how to recognise the potential signs of abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. People told us they felt safe and knew who to contact if they had any concerns. The registered manager continued to ensure there was enough staff to support people safely and they followed safe recruitment processes. One person told us, “She never rushes me, it’s absolutely all at my timescale.”

People continued to receive their medicines safely and on time and staff were trained in administering medicines. People knew what their medication was for and told us they felt reassured by the support with their medicines. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection and staff wore gloves and aprons when supporting people.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to maintain their health and had support to access health care services when they needed to and people were supported to maintain a balanced diet. One person told us, “They get my breakfast for me, tea and toast, prepare a sandwich for lunch and a salad sometimes for my evening meal. They make what I like. I wouldn't eat if it wasn't good.”

People continued to receive kind and compassionate care. People told us staff were kind and caring. One person told us, “The way the staff speak to me makes me feel they want to do their best for me.”

People continued to receive personalised care that was responsive to their needs. One person told us, “It’s been only a week and she's read the care plan and notes thoroughly. Very aware of my condition and has lots of experience in caring for others with the same condition.” People and relatives knew how to make a complaint and told us they felt listened to and had confidence that the manager and staff would act.

People and staff spoke positively about the culture of The Private Care Company. There were clear lines of accountability and the provider continued to have effective quality assurance processes in place. People told us they thought the service was well managed.

More information is in Detailed Findings below.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 29 July 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service continues to be rated Good overall.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

The inspection took place on the 29 June 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hour’s notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to be sure that someone would be in to speak with us.

The Private Care Company Limited is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support services for a range of people living in their own homes. These included older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 80 people were receiving a care service.

The registered provider was managing the service on a day to day basis. Registered providers 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 told us they felt safe, that staff were kind and the care they received was good. One person told us “Oh yes, I’ve no reason feel unsafe”. A relative told us “We do feel safe with the service, my relative has to have a stand aid and they [the staff] cope with it very well”.

Staff knew how to support people and help maintain their safety. They understood their responsibility to protect people from harm and abuse and they felt able to report any concerns appropriately. One member of staff told us “I would know if anything was wrong with the people I visit. It could be a change in their mood or something more obvious like bruises on their body”.

The provider had arrangements in place for the safe administration of medicines. People were supported to receive their medicine when they needed it. One person told us “Yes they help me, they always have a note of what I’m meant to have and they always remind me if I don’t have it”. People were supported to maintain good health and had assistance to access to health care services when needed.

People told us they received their care calls consistently and always received the care they needed. One member of staff told us “It’s good because we see the same people and have consistent rotas. We really get to know people well and know what they like and don’t like. I see one lady who loves to have her hair done and I help with painting her nails. It boosts her well-being”. Risks to people were assessed and monitored to ensure action was taken to avoid accidents and the deterioration of people’s health. The service had recruited a sufficient number of suitably qualified staff to meet people’s needs. Recruitment practice was robust and protected people from the risk of receiving support from staff who were unsuitable.

The service considered peoples capacity using the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) as guidance. People’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed. Staff observed the key principles in their day to day work checking with people that they were happy for them to undertake care tasks before they proceeded.

People confirmed staff respected their privacy and dignity. Staff had a very good understanding of respecting people within their own home and providing them with choice and control. One member of staff told us “I will ensure curtains are closed when needed and if assisting people in the bathroom I make sure they are covered when helping them wash”. The service had identified people’s needs and preferences in order to plan and deliver their care. People were supported at mealtimes to access food and drink of their choice.

There were clear lines of accountability. The service had good leadership and direction from the registered provider. Staff felt fully support to undertake their roles. One member of staff told us “The manager is fair, very professional and ensures the service runs smoothly”. Staff were given training updates, supervision and development opportunities. For example staff were offered to undertake additional training and development courses to increase their understanding of the needs of people using the service, such as diplomas in health and social care. Staff commented they felt valued and enjo