Essex Cares Mid, a reablement-focused domiciliary care service in Chelmsford, was rated Good across all five key questions at its October–November 2023 inspection, maintaining its previous overall Good rating. The service demonstrated strong person-centred reablement outcomes, robust safeguarding and governance, but was noted for internal staff communication concerns and a well-led downgrade from Outstanding to Good.
Concerns (3)
moderate
Communication with families
: “Several members of staff raised concerns about poor communication with internal managers, including their availability to respond to queries...lack of responses to texts and emails”
moderateLeadership: “Some members of staff suggested issues which required discussion had been dismissed and discouraged by their manager and which contributed to staffs' distress and anxiety.”
minorRecord keeping: “Improvements were required to ensure the reason for leaving employment was recorded.”
Strengths
· 100% of people using the service were either 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' in the 2023 satisfaction survey
· Out of 86,822 calls, only 13 missed visits (0.01%) and 384 late visits (0.04%) over 12 months
· Multidisciplinary team including physiotherapist, occupational therapist and therapy assistants supporting personalised reablement
· Robust safeguarding arrangements with staff demonstrating clear understanding of abuse types and escalation processes
· Strong reablement outcomes with people regaining independence; service received 191 compliments vs 3 complaints in 2022–2023
Quality-Statement breakdown (22)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills, and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity, and independenceGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolationGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive, and empoweringGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff, fully considering their equality characteristicsGood