AStar Homecare Services Limited

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection 34 people received personal care.

Staff had mostly been with the service since it started and had developed strong and trusted relationships with people. Staff and people were matched based on people's preferences, interests and personalities. The registered manager told us, "The staff team are phenomenal. The team not only provide a personal service, but they are very passionate. I am really proud of what they do".

People had improved their health and wellbeing through the support of staff. There was a strong focus on encouraging people to maintain or regain their independence which had achieved positive outcomes for people. Health professionals respected the judgement of the service and their initial assessment of people's health needs.

People told us they felt very safe and were supported to continue or re-engage in the activities they had enjoyed throughout their lives. This had a very positive impact of people's health and emotional wellbeing.

People were treated with respect and were supported to lead dignified lives. Staff regularly went to extra mile and were consistently kind to people and their relatives . People were comfortable and reassured in speaking to staff if they had any concerns or worries about themselves or their loved ones. This support was extended to relatives as staff understood the importance of relatives in the lives of people who used the service.

People's needs were thoroughly assessed prior to offering support to ensure the service could meet them. People and their family were actively involved in care planning and given the opportunity to share information about their life history, important relationships, likes, dislikes and preferences. Discussions about this with the person were regular and the approach tailored to that person. Care plans were flexible, and people did not have to have visits at the same time each day or week.

This was an in-depth recruitment process which focused on recruiting staff who were dedicated, kind and compassionate. One staff said, "I know a few people that have applied to work here and didn't meet the high standards, so I feel very lucky and privileged to be given the opportunity". Staff were competent and knew how to safeguard people. They had received regular training and support. Medication practice was safe. This meant people had the confidence they needed in staff to support them well.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People's choices in relation to their daily routines were listened to and respected by staff.

Information from quality audits was used to drive improvements. There was clear evidence of how this was shared with staff to drive performance and improvement . When things did go wrong the providers were transparent, open and honest. They focused on continual learning and positivity . This meant staff could positively enhance their practice and reduce the risk of events re-occurring.