Archived: Jark (Norwich) Ltd

Updated 27 November 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place between 15 May and 20 August 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 15 May 2018 and ended on 20 August 2018. We visited the office location on 15 May 2018 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with people and staff between 16 and 20 August 2018.

This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an assistant inspector.

As part of the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the service, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We spoke with six people using the service. We also spoke with four members of care staff and the registered manager. We checked four people’s care records and one person’s medicines administration records (MARs). We checked records relating to how the service is run and monitored, such as audits, staff recruitment, training and health and safety records.

Updated 27 November 2018

This inspection of Jark (Norwich) Ltd took place between 15 May 2018 and 20 August 2018. Our visit to their office was announced to make sure staff were available. This was the first inspection for this agency.

Jark (Norwich) Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults. At the time of our visit 50 people were using the service. Since our visit the provider has submitted an application to cancel the registration of this agency.

Not everyone using Jark (Norwich) receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

There was a registered manager at this agency who was supported by an office manager and other senior staff. 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.

The provider’s monitoring process did not look at the systems relating to the care of people, identify issues or take action to resolve these. People’s views were sought but no action was put into place to improve issues that were raised.

Medicine administration records were not always completed correctly and medicines were not always administered as prescribed. People’s personal and health care needs were met but care records were not always in place or contain adequate information to guide staff in how to do this.

Staff knew how to respond to possible harm and how to reduce most risks to people. There were enough staff who had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Staff used personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of cross infection to people.

Staff were caring, kind and treated people with respect, although the agency did not always respect people’s right to be cared for by staff of the gender of their choice. People were listened to but were not always asked about their care. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People received support with meals, if this was needed.

There was enough information for staff to contact health care professionals if needed and staff followed the advice professionals gave them.

A complaints system was in place and there was information available so people knew who to speak with if they had concerns, although informal concerns were not recorded for analysis of trends or themes. Staff did not have adequate guidance or training to care for people at the end of their lives, if this became necessary.

Staff were supported by and supportive of the registered manager and office staff.

We found breaches of Regulations 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in regard to medicines management and the governance of the agency. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the end of this report?

Further information is in the detailed findings below