JK Caring Carers Ltd

Updated 14 December 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector. An Expert by Experience completed telephone calls to people using the service and those acting on their behalf. 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, flats and specialist housing schemes.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager and examined a range of records. We reviewed 7 people’s care records and 13 staff recruitment records, including evidence of induction, supervision and ‘spot visits.’ We looked at 3 people’s medication audits and the service’s complaint management arrangements. We were unable to review any other quality assurance information, including staff training records as the registered manager confirmed this was on their laptop and this was being repaired.

Following the inspection to the domiciliary care agency, we continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found and to request additional information. This related to staffs’ Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] checks. We texted 7 members of staff to advise that we wished to speak with them about their experience of working at JK Caring Carers Ltd. However, only three members of staff responded to enable us to speak with them.

Updated 14 December 2022

About the service

JK Caring Carers Ltd provides support to people living in their own house, flat or other specialist housing accommodation. At the time of our inspection there were 61 people using the service via the domiciliary care agency.

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

Risks for people were not identified, recorded and mitigated in relation to their care and support needs. Not all staff who administered people’s medication had achieved up to date medication training and care plans did not clearly and accurately document the level of medicine support required. People were placed at risk of harm as staff recruitment checks continued not to be safe. People’s call times were inconsistent, and this placed them at risk of not receiving their care and support as they should.

Staff did not have up to date training. Although staff told us they felt supported, not all staff had received formal supervision. JK Caring Carers Ltd was not well-led. Quality assurance and governance arrangements were not effective. Lessons were not learned to make required improvements.

People told us they felt safe and had no concerns about their safety or wellbeing when staff visited them. Staff had access to Personal Protective Equipment [PPE]. Staff had completed an ‘in-house’ induction. People had access to healthcare professionals as required. People’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed and staff sought people’s consent prior to providing support.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement [published 19 April 2022]. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found the provider remained in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the provider’s recruitment practices. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of Safe, Effective and Well-Led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to inadequate based on the findings of this inspection.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified continued breaches in relation to risk management, staffing [including training], recruitment practices and quality assurance and governance arrangements at this inspection.

Follow up

The overall rating for this service is ‘Inadequate’ and the service is therefore in ‘special measures'. This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider’s registration, we will re-inspect within 6 months to check for significant improvements.

If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe and there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures. This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration.

For adult social care services, the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months. If the service has demonstrated improvements when we inspect it and it is no longer rated as inadequate for any of the five key questions, it will no longer be in special measures.