J & K Care Specialists

Updated 5 February 2020

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

One inspector carried out this inspection.

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. A registered manager 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because we needed to ensure the provider had time to contact people to inform them we may be calling them via telephone to gain their feedback about the care they received.

Inspection activity started on 16 January and ended on 23 January 2020. We visited the office location on 16 January 2020. We made telephone calls and received feedback via email from people and relatives between 17 and 23 January 2020.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including actions plans detailing how improvements were being made. 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 this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We received feedback about the service from 10 people or relatives via telephone and email. We spoke with the provider, the registered manager and two staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included eight people’s 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 audits, policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We requested and received additional information from the provider which helped to support the judgements detailed in this report.

Updated 5 February 2020

About the service

J and K Care Specialists is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 44 people living in their own homes. People had a range of needs, these ranged from older people to people living with a learning disability. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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

Since our last inspection, the provider had made improvements to their systems around auditing people’s care and medicines records. The registered manager had a good understanding of their role and people told us they were competent and approachable.

People received good quality care, that was focussed on their specific needs and preferences. Care was consistently delivered by staff who understood people’s needs and who had undergone appropriate training in their role.

People were treated with dignity, respect and were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care.

People’s needs in relation to healthcare, nutrition and medicines were identified in their care plans. The provider worked with other stakeholders when required to help deliver effective care.

People were protected from the risks of suffering abuse and harm. Risks associated with the delivery of care were assessed and reduced.

There were appropriate systems in place to gain people’s consent to care. 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.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 28 January 2019). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.