EJC Group

Updated 10 March 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes and in their own accommodation in supportive living.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service seven days’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also gave time for the registered manager to send us inspection information, so we did not have to spend an extended amount of time in the office of the service.

Inspection activity started on 7 February and ended on 8 February 2022. We visited the office location on 8 February 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service and we sought feedback from the local authority. The provider sent us a provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with a person who used the service about their experience of the care provided and five relatives. We also spoke with two care staff members and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included three care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found, which was sent to us. This included amendments to procedures.

Updated 10 March 2022

EJC Group is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of inspection, seven people were using the service.

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.

People's experience of using this service and what we found.

Safe care was provided by staff and there was protection against abuse, neglect and discrimination.

Details of how to reduce risks to people's safety were included in people’s care plans.

Safe recruitment practices were in place to ensure that only suitable staff worked at the service.

Enough staff were employed to meet people's needs. Calls providing personal care had usually been timely, and people were understanding of staffing pressures in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Staff treated people with respect and dignity and staff had a caring and friendly approach. People had very good relationships with staff. Staff encouraged people to maintain their independence and do as much for themselves as they wanted to.

Care plans reflected people's individual needs and preferences. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives.

Quality assurance systems were in place to check that people received a service that met their needs.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities and worked in an open and transparent way. People were aware of how to make a complaint and the small number of complaints made had been properly investigated.

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

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published March 2017).

Follow up

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