The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: East County Care Ltd

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Suite 9, Haven House, Albemarle Street, Harwich, Essex, CO12 3HL (01255) 317640

Provided and run by:
East County Care Ltd

All Inspections

6 August 2015

During a routine inspection

East County Care Ltd provides personal care support to people living in their own homes. When we inspected on 6 August 2015 there were seven people using the service. This was an announced inspection. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to know that someone would be available.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

There were systems in place which provided guidance for care workers on how to safeguard the people who used the service from the potential risk of abuse. Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe.

There were procedures and processes in place to ensure the safety of the people who used the service. These included risk assessments which identified how the risks to people were minimised.

Where people required assistance to take their medicines there were arrangements in place to provide this support safely.

There were sufficient numbers of care workers who were trained and supported to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Care workers had good relationships with people who used the service.

People or their representatives, where appropriate, were involved in making decisions about their care and support. People received care and support which was planned and delivered to meet their specific needs.

Where people required assistance with their dietary needs there were systems in place to provide this support safely. Where care workers had identified concerns in people’s wellbeing there were systems in place to contact health and social care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment.

A complaints procedure was in place. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to, addressed in a timely manner and used to improve the service.

Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in providing safe and good quality care to the people who used the service. There was good leadership in the service. The service had a quality assurance system and shortfalls were addressed. As a result the quality of the service continued to improve.

25 November 2013

During a routine inspection

As part of our inspection we spoke with three people receiving support from the service and two relatives of people using the service. The people we spoke with were all very complimentary about the care and support they received. They told us that staff seemed well trained, were almost always punctual and always stayed the agreed time. They appreciated that new care workers were introduced to them before starting work in their home. One person receiving a service said: 'They do everything in the way that I like. I've not had any concerns.'

The relatives we spoke with were both very complimentary about the standards of the agency. One relative told us that East County Care was very much better than the previous agency they had used. Another relative told us: 'The care they've given is absolutely brilliant. They've helped X to regain her confidence and self-esteem and enabled them to live on their own again. They've been such a support to me too.'

People were treated respectfully and their independence was supported and encouraged. They received care and support that met their needs. The management of medicines needed some improvements in order to fully protect people receiving a service. Staff received training to enable them to meet people's individual needs. The agency had systems to monitor the standards within the service and these were continuing to be developed.

18 March 2013

During a routine inspection

We carried out an inspection at East County Care on Monday 18 March 2013. We spoke to two people who used the service and one relative of a person using the service. One person told us, "I always feel safe when the carers are in my home." and another told us, "The care is always what I want them to provide." We were also told, "They always check whether there is anything else I need before they go and they lock up carefully." A relative told us, "I have complete confidence in them, it has really taken the pressure from me, I feel mum is safe now with their support."

During our inspection we spoke with three members of staff. One of them told us, "I have worked in care for many years and this is the best organisation I've ever worked for. I feel so included in its development and they are going to support me to gain my NVQ level 3."

The staff members that we spoke with were knowledgeable and professional. One of them told us, 'Training for staff members is important to the management, they encourage us to read and update at every opportunity.'

We found the records we looked at during the inspection to be of a very good standard, easy to read and well organised. We saw staff members talking courteously to people using the service on the phone and they had a system for making a record of the information that was communicated to the relevant care worker.