Homecare Professionals (Essex) Ltd was rated Requires Improvement overall, with a breach of Regulation 19 due to inadequate recruitment checks including right-to-work verification and missing employer references. While care delivery was personalised, effective and caring, governance and medicines audits were not robust enough to identify these shortfalls.
Concerns (7)
critical
Staff competency
: “The service had not carried out all the necessary checks on staff before commencing employment.”
criticalStaff competency: “Robust checks were not undertaken on staff's right to work in the UK.”
criticalStaff competency: “The provider did not follow their recruitment policy and safe recruitment practices... We found two staff files did not have any employer references.”
moderateMedication management: “Medication administration records (MARS) had some unexplained gaps and it was not clear if medicines had been given.”
moderateGovernance: “Audits of medicines, were not as robust as they should be to enable the service to effectively monitor the quality and delivery of the service.”
moderateGovernance: “Audits had not identified the shortfalls that we found regarding recruitment.”
moderateRecord keeping: “References were not always verified by a company stamp or headed paper to confirm they were legitimate.”
Strengths
· People received personalised care from a consistent team of skilled and competent staff
· Staff had good knowledge of safeguarding and how to protect people from harm
· Effective communication and joined-up working with health and social care professionals
· Service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005
· Staff treated people with dignity, respect and compassion
Quality-Statement breakdown (23)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentNot rated
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseNot rated
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementNot rated
safe: Using medicines safelyNot rated
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionNot rated
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongNot rated
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawNot rated
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceNot rated
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietNot rated
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careNot rated
effective: Supporting people to live healthier lives, access healthcare services and supportNot rated
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceNot rated
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityNot rated
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careNot rated
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceNot rated
responsive: Planning personalised care to meet people's needs, preferences, interests and give them choice and controlNot rated
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsNot rated
responsive: End of life care and supportNot rated
well-led: Planning and promoting person-centred, high-quality care and support with openness; and duty of candourNot rated
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsNot rated
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffNot rated
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careNot rated
well-led: Working in partnership with othersNot rated
Focused inspection of this Southend-based domiciliary care agency supporting 28 people found improvements since the 2019 requires improvement rating, with the previous breach of Regulation 19 (recruitment) now resolved. Both Safe and Well-led were rated Good, lifting the overall rating to Good.
Strengths
· Full recruitment checks including DBS, references, ID and right to work now completed correctly, resolving previous breach of Regulation 19.
· People supported by regular care workers, building rapport: 'I have the same regular carers, they have become like friends now they know me so well.'
· Person-centred risk assessments and support plans, with additional risk assessments for emergency healthcare needs.
· Safe medicines management with staff trained, MAR charts in place, and weekly medication audits by the manager.
· Robust infection prevention and control with good PPE stocks, COVID-19 vaccination support and regular testing.
Quality-Statement breakdown (10)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentNot rated
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseNot rated
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementNot rated
safe: Using medicines safelyNot rated
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionNot rated
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongNot rated
well-led: Promoting a positive, person-centred cultureNot rated
well-led: Clear roles, quality performance, risks and duty of candourNot rated
well-led: Engaging and involving people, public and staffNot rated
well-led: Continuous learning and working in partnershipNot rated