Cherish Homecare Services

People's experience of using this service People told us they were settled and happy with the service provided by Cherish Homecare Services. They told they received their medicines on time and staff supported them when needed.

People told us that staff had the skills and approach needed to help ensure they were receiving the right care. Although most staff had appropriate base line qualifications, there had been a lack of training updates in some key areas. Support around staff training needed further development. We made a recommendation.

The service was staffed appropriately and consistently, and most staff had been employed for several years in care. They were experienced; this helped to develop positive relationships with people they supported.

Arrangements were in place for checking people's home environment to help ensure it was safe and any obvious hazards were assessed, and plans put in place to reduce the risk.

People told us that they felt safe when being supported and no-one raised any concerns about their care; one person commented, "Indeed I am always safe and comfortable with the care workers; they know what I am like, they have built a relationship with me."

There were a series of quality assurance processes and audits carried out internally by the registered manager on behalf of the provider. These were generally effective in monitoring the quality of the service. Feedback was gathered from the people being supported and their relatives.

The formal assessment and planning of people's care in care records had been reviewed and updated. Records reviewed contained very good detail of people's care needs and evidenced their involvement in the planning of their care.

The staff we spoke with described how they would recognise abuse and the action they would take to ensure actual or potential harm was reported.

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests when required; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.