The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Colchester Community Care Services DCA

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Crown House, Stephenson Road, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9QR (01206) 752552

Provided and run by:
Mears Homecare Limited

Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

All Inspections

20 April 2016

During a routine inspection

The inspection took place on 20, 26 and 27 April 2016 and was announced. Colchester Community Domiciliary Care Agency is a care agency providing personal care and support to individuals residing in Colchester, Clacton and Ipswich areas. The Ipswich service is primarily a service to individuals with a diagnosis of dementia or those who require palliative care. In total the agency provides support to approximately 180 people and employs 90 staff.

At the time of the inspection there was no registered manager in post but a manager from a nearby service managed by the same provider was providing management cover. 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.

People told us that they were well supported by the agency and there were systems in place to identify and respond to allegations of abuse. Risks to individuals were identified and managed although some of the risk management plans would benefit from more detail.

People told us that they liked having the same team of carers who knew them and gave them the time that they needed. People spoke positively about the office staff. There were clear arrangements for out of hours support to ensure that emergencies were dealt with promptly and people kept safe. Staff were checked as part of their recruitment to ensure that they were suitable. They were trained and supervised by more experienced colleagues before working independently. Supervisions and spot checks were undertaken to ensure that they were putting their training into practice.

People were supported to maintain a balanced diet and to access healthcare services. They told us that they were supported by friendly, caring staff who promoted their independence. There were systems in place to ascertain people’s views about their care and people told us they felt listened to.

Care plans were in place and while they would benefit from further detail, staff knew individuals, their preferences and how they wished to be supported. Complaints were taken seriously and investigated.

The manager was aware of their responsibilities and was supported by a management team. There were a range of systems in place to check on the quality of the care and to drive improvement.