Your Life (Hitchin)

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own flats. It provides a service to older adults. Your Life (Hitchin) operates an assisted living scheme in a modern and purpose built private development called Park House. The property consists of 58 flats privately owned and occupied by older people who also share some communal areas and facilities; such as dining rooms, lounges and gardens.

Not everyone using Your Life (Hitchin) receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection seven people who lived at Park House received personal care and support.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe at the service and staff knew how to recognise and respond to abuse. Risks were assessed and mitigated. Staff followed infection control procedures and medicines were managed safely. There were sufficient trained staff to meet people's needs who were recruited safely and received regular support.

People were encouraged and supported as needed to eat and drink. People also had support to access health care services if needed. Staff adhered to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act and people lived independent lives.

Staff were kind, caring and treated people with respect. Relationships were promoted and confidentiality adhered to. People were involved in and decided their care or support needs. Care plans included information to enable staff to meet people's needs in a way that they liked.

People were encouraged to engage in activities that were in the community and were aware of how to raise a complaint should they need to. People, relatives and staff were positive about the management team and how the service was run. There were quality assurance systems in place to help maintain the standards.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found