ECL Havering

Updated 9 December 2021

The inspection

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

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and two Expert by Experiences. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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

This inspection was announced. Due to the pandemic, we gave a short period notice of the inspection to enable us to collate as much information as possible virtually to minimise the time spent by the inspection team visiting the provider’s office.

Inspection activity started on 16 November 2021 and ended on 19 November 2021. On the first day of our inspection we contacted people and their relatives by telephone to seek their feedback about the service. We visited the office location on 17 November 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we held about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 20 people who used the service and 12 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, head of quality and corporate assurance, occupational therapist, trusted assessors and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records, staff training and medication records. We looked at two 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 reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 9 December 2021

About the service

ECL Havering is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own houses and flats in the London Borough of Havering. The service provides short term reablement support packages for up to six weeks, with the aim of promoting people’s independence and reduce the need for long term care.

At the time of our inspection the service was providing support to 78 people. 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. All the people using the service received personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People felt safe and spoke positively about the care and support they received.

The service was responsive to people’s individual needs which had a positive impact on their wellbeing, enabling people to gain greater independence and remain living in their own homes. Support was flexible and personalised, adjusting to people’s changing needs. People, and where appropriate their families, were actively encouraged to be involved in the development and on-going review of their care. Staff were fully committed to improving the lives of people and worked with them to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to act on any concerns. Care planning documentation provided guidance to enable staff to provide safe, effective care to people. Risk assessments were in place to manage potential risks within people's lives. Staff had received infection control training and understood the importance of following government guidance in relation to COVID-19.

Robust recruitment systems were in place to ensure suitable staff were employed. There were enough staff available to meet people's needs. Staff received regular supervision, observations of their practice and on-going training which promoted people’s health, safety and welfare.

People were complimentary about the kind, caring attitude of staff. People’s dignity and privacy was respected, and their independence promoted.

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.

Throughout our inspection, the registered manager demonstrated their commitment to ensuring a person-centred culture which was open and inclusive, empowering and enabling people to gain greater independence. Staff felt valued and supported and enjoyed working at the service.

Quality assurance systems were in place to regularly monitor the safety and quality of the service.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 19 May 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the length of time the service was registered and when they commenced providing a regulated activity.

Follow up

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