Waveney Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to adults. At the time of our inspection, Waveney Care Limited was providing a service to approximately 145 people.

At the last inspection on 10 March 2015, the service was rated good overall. At this comprehensive inspection we found that the service remains good.

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 told us they felt safe when carers came to support them and that the staff helped them to feel safer. Risks to people were appropriately assessed and managed. Where the agency supported people with their medicines, these were managed safely. There were risk assessments in place around reducing the risks to people when they were in their home and what staff could do to protect people from harm.

People told us that staff always attended at the agreed times and that they benefitted from having regular carers. Where care staff were going to be late, people said that they were telephoned. Staff told us that there were enough staff working for the agency to cover all the visits. They said they had a regular group of people they supported.

Staff had received appropriate training and support to carry out their role effectively and had access to development opportunities. Staff received appropriate supervision which helped them develop in their role and keep in contact with the management team.

People told us staff were nice to them and respected their right to privacy in their own home. People told us they received appropriate support to maintain healthy nutrition and hydration where this was required.

People received personalised care that met their individual needs and preferences. People told us they were actively involved in the planning of their care. Where required people were supported to access meaningful activities and follow their individual interests.

The registered manager created a culture of openness and transparency within the service. Staff told us that they had a good relationship with the management team and that they kept in regular contact. People told us they knew how to complain or raise concerns if they needed to.

There was a robust quality assurance system in place and shortfalls identified were promptly acted on to improve the service. There were plans in place to develop the staff team further.

The service worked well with other agencies such as Suffolk County Council to ensure they stayed up to date with the latest policies, procedures and best practice.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The inspection took place on the 10 March 2015 and was announced. Twenty four hours notice of the inspection was given to ensure that the people we needed to speak to were available in the office. We visited some of the people in their homes on 24 March 2015 so that they could tell us about their experiences of using the service.

Waveney Care Limited - 124 Denmark Road is a medium size domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support services for a range of people living in their own homes. These included older people, people living with dementia and people with a physical disability.

The service had a registered manager. 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 experiences of people were positive. People told us they felt safe, that staff were kind and the care they received was good.

There were good systems and processes in place to keep people safe. Assessments of risk had been undertaken and there were clear instructions for staff on what action to take in order to mitigate them. Staff knew how to recognise the potential signs of abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. The registered manager made sure there was enough staff at all times to meet people’s needs. When the provider employed new staff at the service they followed safe recruitment practices.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s support needs and care plans were developed outlining how these needs were to be met. We found that care plans were detailed which enabled staff to provide the individual care people needed. People told us they were involved in the care plans and were consulted about their care to ensure wishes and preferences were met. Staff worked with other healthcare professionals to obtain specialist advice about people’s care and treatment.

The provider had arrangements in place for the safe administration of medicines. People were supported to receive their medicine when they needed it. People were supported to maintain good health and had assistance to access to health care services when needed.

The service considered peoples’ capacity using the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) as guidance. 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 were supported at mealtimes to access food and drink of their choice where needed. The service had good leadership and direction from the registered manager and the deputy manager. Staff felt fully supported by management to undertake their roles. 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 needs of people using the service.

Feedback was sought by the registered manager via surveys which were sent to people and their relatives. Survey results were positive and any issues identified acted upon. People and relatives we spoke with were aware of how to make a complaint and felt they would have no problem raising any issues. The provider responded to complaints in a timely manner with details of any action taken.

As part of this inspection we looked at six care plans and spoke with 18 people who used the service. Most people who used the service were satisfied with the care they received, although some commented that time keeping could be improved.

We looked at people's care plans and found that people's needs were assessed when they began using the service and regularly thereafter. Care plans were person centred and addressed people's care needs.

We spoke with three staff who told us they felt supported in their role. Staff were appropriately trained and received regular training updates. Staff we spoke with had a knowledge of safeguarding and were able to tell us what they would do if they found a problem.

Managers at the service regularly monitor the service provided by its carers by speaking to people receiving care in person and by sending out questionnaires. We saw that the complaints procedure was followed when any complaints were received.

We spoke with seven people who used the service. They told us they were satisfied with the service they were provided with. People said that they were consulted about the care that they were provided with and that the care workers treated them with respect. One person said "I could not have better care." Another person said the service they were provided with was "Absolutely wonderful."

Two people told us that when they raised concerns they were dealt with promptly and to their satisfaction.

During our inspection we spoke with five people, two people's relatives and the manager, who is also the provider. We also spoke with an office staff member and three care staff and looked at seven people's care records. Other records viewed included training records and some of the organisation’s policies and procedures.

During our inspection and during analysis of our inspection findings we considered the questions we always ask, is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led?

This is a summary of what we found;

Is the service safe?

We saw that risk assessments had been completed so that risks associated with people’s care and support could be minimised.

The provider ensured that there were enough staff employed within the company so that people’s needs were met, staff didn’t arrive late at people’s houses or missed calling altogether.

The staff we spoke with were able to demonstrate that they had a good understanding of the safeguarding and whistle blowing principles. The manager was able to explain the safeguarding referral process and safeguarding posters were posted in the office.

Staff received a good induction when they started working for the organisation, the induction included instruction about ensuring that people and their homes were safe and secure when staff left. This included making sure the keys were stored safely, doors were locked and clutter was not left to cause a trip hazard.

Is the service effective?

People's care records showed that care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. The records were regularly reviewed and updated which meant that care workers were provided with up to date information about how people's needs were to be met.

Is the service caring?

People told us that the care workers and office staff listened to them and one person told us that staff, "….couldn’t be kinder." Another person said, "The staff are very polite and helpful in every way."

People who used the service completed satisfaction questionnaires. Where shortfalls or concerns were raised these were addressed.

Is the service responsive?

We were told that people got support when and how they wanted it. One person told us that the service was, “Consistently good.”

People also told us that they knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy. One person said, "I have made complaints and they were dealt with quickly." Another person said, "If I need anything changed, I phone the office and it gets done quickly."

Is the service well-led?

The manager, who was also the provider, oversaw the delivery of the service, people and staff told us that they were supportive and helpful. One person said, “If I want to speak to the manager, they always make themselves available.”

The service had quality assurance systems in place and records showed that they identified shortfalls and acted to address them with the expectation that the quality of the service would continue to improve.

People told us that they were happy with the service and that their needs were met. One person said, “They (the service) have never let me down.”