TWO care providers have been awarded good ratings following inspections by a healthcare watchdog.

Essex Care Group, in the North Colchester Business Centre, and InVent Health Essex, in Plough Road, Great Bentley, were praised by the Care Quality Commission.

The former is a family-run domiciliary care agency which provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of inspection it supported 15 people.

The inspector described how people felt safe and spoke positively about care workers from the firm because they had confidence in their knowledge and skills.

Furthermore, staff were “respectful to people, relatives and their homes” with relatives consistently saying the workers were “kind” and kept in constant contact.

Care recipients were also 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 inspector’s report added: “Staff promoted independence by taking time to understand what people needed support with, which enabled people to feel in control and remain as independent as possible. The service was keen to make improvements to ensure everyone can receive information in a way they can understand.”

InVent Health Essex provides nursing and/or personal care to children and adults living in their own homes.

At the time of the watchdog’s inspection, the service was supporting 11 children and seven young adults who have complex nursing and/or healthcare needs.

The inspector’s report said: “One relative told us: ‘From the minute InVent Health came to do the first assessment, it was like a different world. Staff are always so well trained and everyone is so lovely and approachable’.”

The staff were described as “highly motivated, caring and compassionate” while sharing a joint focus of providing “safe, quality person-centred care”.

The inspector added staff spoke of the close bonds they had formed with the children and young adults they supported, as well as their families.