Essential Care Support is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. It provides a service to younger and older adults, who may live with dementia, physical disability or a sensory impairment.

The registered manager had left the service and deregistered with us in September 2017. The provider had begun the application process to become the registered manager. 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.

People were protected from the risks of abuse because staff received training in safeguarding people and understood their responsibility to report any concerns. The provider checked staff were suitable for their role before they started working for the service.

People's care plans explained the risks to their individual health and wellbeing and the actions staff should take to support them safely. Care plans were updated when people's needs changed.

Staff were trained in safe medicines administration and in how to minimise the risks of infection.

The provider made sure there were enough staff, with the right skills and experience to support people effectively, and in line with their agreed care plan.

Where required, people were supported to eat according to their preferences. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies, procedures and staff training supported this least restrictive practice.

People felt they were supported by staff who genuinely cared for them as individuals. Staff understood people's diverse needs and interests and encouraged them to maintain their independence according to their wishes and abilities.

Staff were happy working for the service and felt supported to build relationships with individual people based on trust. Staff supported people and encouraged them to maintain links with their community, according to their needs and preferences. Staff respected people's privacy and promoted their dignity. People were confident any complaints and concerns they raised would be dealt with promptly.

The provider’s quality monitoring programme included regular, scheduled monitoring of staff’s competence and seeking people’s and relatives views of the service, to ensure quality improvements focused on people’s experience.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.