Essex Care Consortium - Marks Tey

We completed this inspection of the safe and well led key questions to check for improvements since our last inspection in November 2025. The last inspection found the provider was in breach of the legal regulations relating to consent, staffing, fit and proper persons employed and good governance. During this inspection, some improvements were identified, and the provider was no longer in breach of the regulations relating to consent, staffing and fit and proper persons employed. However, there was a continued breach of the regulation relating to good governance because although new systems of oversight and monitoring had been implemented, they needed to be embedded and sustained.  We have asked the provider for an action plan to demonstrate how they will sustain the improvements identified at this inspection.

We have inspected the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

Right support: The service was in a rural position within a local residential area. There was nothing outside to show it was a care home. The service consisted of 2 bungalows, named The Laurels and The Vines, and a separate flat situated in a large garden, which people had access to. People led meaningful lives and were protected from harm; they had good access to the community and input from external healthcare professionals when they needed it. People lived in a warm, homely and personalised environment that met their holistic needs. Improvements had been made to the premises since our last inspection and safety and monitoring checks had increased to ensure the ongoing suitability of the home environment.

Right care: People received care from staff who knew them well and who were trained to meet their specific needs, including where people expressed their needs or distress through their behaviour. Staff training had improved since our last inspection. In addition to mandatory training modules, staff had received training in topics specific to the people they supported to ensure they could effectively meet their needs and preferences. The analysis of individual behavioural incidents had improved resulting in better oversight; however, work was ongoing to ensure themes and trends across the service were identified. Risks to people were assessed to help keep them safe whilst maintaining their independence, however, care plans required greater detail about how to manage identified risks to ensure people received consistently safe and person-centred care.

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using services led confident, inclusive and empowered lives. The service was led by a registered manager who knew people well and promoted an open culture where people’s voices were listened to. Improvements had been made to governance and oversight arrangements at the service since our last inspection. New roles and processes had been introduced to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service and to ensure a strong recruitment and onboarding process; however, more time was needed to ensure systems were embedded and sustained.