Our inspection took place on 4 July and 13 July 2018 and was announced.

This was our first inspection of the service since the provider added the location to their existing registration.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older people, and people with physical disability, sensory impairment or dementia.

YourLife (Maidenhead) is located within a set of 60 apartments. Each apartment has self-contained living arrangements, but the premises have communal facilities such as lounge areas, dining rooms and restaurants, fitness and wellbeing facilities and a beauty salon. We do not regulate the premises. Not everyone living in the apartments received personal care. A package of personal care is offered to people in the apartments when they need support from care workers. People who live in the apartments are not obligated to choose the service, and can opt to use any domiciliary care agency.

At the time of our inspection, three people used the service and there were 11 staff.

The provider is required to have a registered manager as part of their conditions of registration. 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. At the time of our inspection, there was a manager registered with us.

People were protected from abuse and neglect. Appropriate systems were in place to safeguard people from the risk of preventable harm. People’s care risks were appropriately assessed, mitigated and recorded. Recruitment practices and supporting documentation met the requirements set by the applicable legislation. We found appropriate numbers of staff were deployed to meet people’s needs. People’s medicines were safely managed.

The service was compliant with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated codes of practice. People were assisted to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems at the service supported this practice.

Staff support was satisfactory and ensured workers had the necessary knowledge and skills to provide effective care for people. People’s care preferences, likes and dislikes were assessed, recorded and respected. The service worked well as a team to ensure the best possible care for people.

The service was caring. There was complimentary feedback from people who used the service and relatives. People or relatives were involved in care planning and reviews. People’s privacy and dignity was respected when care was provided to them.

Care plans were appropriately personalised and contained information of how to support people in the right way. We saw there was complaints system in place which included the ability for people to contact any staff member or the management team. We made a recommendation about the complaints policy and procedure.

People, staff and others had positive opinions about the management and leadership of the service. There was a good workplace culture. Audits and checks were used to monitor the safety and quality of care. People’s equality and diversity was respected, and their human rights were upheld.