Essex Dementia Care

People were supported by regular staff who knew how to keep them safe from the risk of harm. Staff had been safely recruited and there were sufficient staff to meet people's needs. People told us they did not experience missed or late visits.

Staff received training and ongoing support to ensure they had the knowledge and skills to be competent in their job role. If it was part of an assessed need, staff helped people have enough to eat and drink.

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.

Staff were kind and caring and listened to people, working with them in partnership to meet their individual needs and wishes. The service aimed to support people to live their lives to the full and be as independent as they could be. People were assisted to access their local communities and engage in a wide range of activities that were important to them.

People received individualised care and support in line with their needs and wishes. People and their relatives were involved in regular reviews and given opportunities to provide feedback on the service. There were systems and processes to manage complaints.

We made a recommendation about exploring and recording people's end of life preferences.

The service benefitted from good leadership. There was a positive culture with a focus on providing person- centred support that empowered people. Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt well supported by the management team. Quality assurance systems and processes were in place to monitor and improve safety and quality.

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