We carried out a comprehensive ratings inspection at Right Care on the 6 October, and 7th November 2016. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice so that we could be sure that someone from the service would be there to greet us.

Right Care is a domiciliary care provider based in Colchester, providing services within this locality and nearby areas. At the time of inspection, the service was caring for 35 people and employed 25 care staff. They provide a variety of care and support to people in their own homes, including supporting people with personal care needs, shopping, and cooking.

The service has a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the time of inspection there had been a safeguarding alert raised about the care management of one person at the service. We saw that during the inspection, the provider had made a number of changes because of the concerns that were raised, and this had improved the care management of people receiving a service.

All staff employed by the service had undergone a rigorous employment process and had been safely recruited. Care staff received the appropriate training to meet people’s needs safely and in a timely way. Regular unannounced spot checks took place on staff providing care.

Quality assurance systems were in place to check people’s risk assessments and care plans were still appropriate for people’s needs. Following a safeguarding concern where staff had not been staying for the duration on the call, but the service had invoiced for the full time, the service had implemented a new electronic system for staff to clock in and clock out so they could ensure that people received the care time allocated to them.

Good communication systems were in place and managers kept staff up to date on all changes at the service and with people’s individual needs, through meetings and memos.

Care staff contacted other health and social care professionals if people’s needs changed in order to ensure people received the right care and treatment.

Following the safeguarding alert, the service had tightened their governance processes and they demonstrated that they had learnt from errors.