The inspection took place on 22 August 2017 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because we wanted to ensure that the registered manager was available. This was the first inspection of this service since it registered with us on the 07 January 2015. This is because although registered with us no one was using the service until 2017.

Total Quality Care is registered to provide a personal care service to adults in their own homes. At the time of the inspection three people were using the service. The service is a family run service employing three staff and supporting three people. On occasions the registered provider/manager would also undertake care calls.

There was a registered manager in post who was also the provider. 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 staff were knowledgeable about how to keep people safe and recognized the different forms of abuse and the action to take if required, in order to keep them safe.

The registered manager and staff had the necessary skills and knowledge to meet people’s individual needs.

People received the support they required with their diet. Other health services were advised of changes in people's health and circumstances by family members.

People's rights were protected and their consent was always sought before and during care. The service was delivered in a way that enabled people to make decisions on how they were supported and their wishes were met according to their preferences and choices.

The registered manager and staff had undertaken appropriate training so they would know how to support people who lacked capacity to make decisions for themselves. People’s dignity, privacy and independence was respected.

People were involved in the planning, assessment and review of their care and knew who to contact if they were unhappy about any aspect of their care. There was a system in place to manage complaints.

Systems were in place to monitor the service to ensure people received quality care.