Hertfordshire Domiciliary Care Agency

People's experience of using this service: People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible to gain new skills and become more independent. This supported the principles of 'Registering the Right Support' and other best practice guidance. These ensured that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. People were particularly proud that they had been supported to register to vote and they were looking forward to exercising this right in future elections.

People were protected from harm by staff who were confident in recognising and reporting concerns. People were safe because potential risks to their health and wellbeing had been managed well. There were enough staff to support people safely and to enable them to take part in a range of activities they enjoyed. People were supported well to take their medicines. Lessons were learnt from incidents to prevent recurrence. Staff followed effective processes to prevent the spread of infections.

Staff had the right skills to meet people's needs effectively. Staff were well supported and had information to meet people's assessed needs. People had enough to eat and drink and were supported to make healthy food choices. People had access to healthcare services when required. This helped people to maintain their health and well-being.

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 fully involved in making decisions about their care and support. People were involved in planning and reviewing care plans. Staff supported people in a way that respected and promoted their privacy and dignity. They encouraged people to be as independent as possible.

People were happy with how staff supported them to meet their individual needs. They said this had been done in a kind and person-centred way. Complaints were managed well and there was learning from these to reduce the risk of recurrence. The service did not currently provide end of life care, but they had including some information in people's care plans. They would do more to further improve on the quality of this information.

Audits and quality monitoring checks were carried out regularly to continually improve the service. The provider had systems to enable people, relatives and staff to provide feedback about the service. People's

experiences of the service were positive. Staff felt fully involved in ensuring the service met its regulatory requirements.