J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon

J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. 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 our inspection there were 86 people receiving personal care support.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider’s processes for reviewing the quality and safety of the service were not always effective in identifying concerns. The provider’s safeguarding systems were not robust, and this meant it was not always clear what actions had been taken to address concerns. Statutory notifications had not always been submitted appropriately.

The provider had systems in place to recruit staff safely; however, not all checks were fully documented. Risks to people’s safety were assessed; however, some information lacked detail. Feedback from people and their relatives highlighted concerns with the provider’s management of medicines and oversight of people’s care visits.

The provider sought feedback from people and relatives about the care provided; however, we received some mixed feedback about how well the provider communicated and shared information.

Despite these concerns, people and their relatives spoke positively about the kindness of the care staff and management team. 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. The provider worked in partnership with other health and social care professionals in order to meet people’s changing support needs.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 24 September 2019).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the management of safeguarding concerns and oversight at the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified breaches in relation to safeguarding and governance at this inspection. We have also made a recommendation about the provider’s recruitment processes.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon is a domiciliary care agency, registered to provide personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, 49 people were using the service. Of those 49 people, 48 were receiving personal care and the remainder received help in the home or companionship services. 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.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Systems were in place to check the safety and monitor the quality of the service, however further improvements were required to ensure these systems were more robust.

People received their prescribed medicines by trained staff, however improvements were required to ensure the processes in place for the safe management of medicines were more robust. Although there had been no impact on people using the service, we have made a recommendation about the safe management of medicines.

People felt safe and trusted staff. Safe recruitment processes were in place and there were enough staff to meet the needs of people. Staff had received training to recognise and report signs of abuse. Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and recorded and staff knew how to manage them to help keep people safe.

Staff received an induction, training and supervision to enable them to acquire the skills and knowledge to fulfil their role and responsibilities. Where required, people were supported with their dietary needs. There was flexibility in the timings of care call visits to assist people to access health care appointments.

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 told us staff were caring and treated them with dignity and respect. People’s independence was promoted and encouraged by staff.

Assessments were undertaken prior to people using the service to ensure their care needs could be met. People continued to be consulted over their care and support needs.

People and relatives thought the service was well led. The registered manager was open and transparent and created a positive culture within the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (report published 5 September 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

The service was not always well led. The current managerial system for the service needed to improve, because there had been no registered manager in post for over 7 months. 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. Audits and governance systems were in place. Surveys were carried out on a regular basis and positive feedback had been received.

The service was not always effective. Staff received an induction, but the care certificate induction had not been provided in the correct way. People received appropriate support to meet their nutritional and healthcare needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way; the policies and systems at the service supported this practice.

The service was not always safe. There were enough staff to provide safe care, and additional time for travel was included as part of the rota system, but, people told us sometimes staff would arrive late. Recruitment checks took place before staff started work, but some references had been received after the person had started work. People told us they felt safe using J. C. Michael Groups Ltd, and felt that staff knew how to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff reduced the risk of infection by using personal protective equipment. People were given their medicine, on time and in the correct way.

The service was caring. People said they were involved in their care planning. People received care from staff who they considered to be friendly and caring, and who stayed long enough to provide the care people required. Staff promoted people's privacy and dignity and provided people with care and support which was individual to them.

The service was responsive. Staff were aware of people's individual needs. Care records focused on the person and were updated according to any changes in people's health and well-being. People were supported to have their health needs met. Procedures to deal with complaints were in place, but did not meet requirements. Shortly after the inspection, this had been updated.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response relating to the registered manager requirement, will be added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.