HomesCare Ltd is a newly registered domiciliary care agency rated Good overall at its first inspection, with strong person-centred care, safe medicines management, and positive leadership culture. The Well-Led rating of Requires Improvement reflects absent records of staff supervision meetings, induction content, and mental capacity assessments, which the registered manager began to address immediately during the inspection.
Concerns (3)
moderate
Supervision / appraisal
: “Although staff were in regular contact with supervisors and managers there was no record of supervision meetings having taken place.”
moderateRecord keeping: “No records were kept of what was covered during the induction. The absence of records could make the registered manager vulnerable.”
moderateConsent / capacity: “There were no mental capacity assessments in place and no records of people's best interest being supported.”
Strengths
· People and relatives reported feeling safe, with no missed or late care calls and effective contingency arrangements for delays.
· Robust risk assessment processes including professionally recognised tools (Waterlow scale, MUST) reviewed monthly and after incidents.
· Safe staff recruitment with DBS checks, references, and employment histories verified before commencement.
· Medicines administered safely with daily MAR audits, PRN protocols, and competency checks for all staff.
· Person-centred care planning involving people and relatives, with regular 6-week reviews and flexible call scheduling.
Quality-Statement breakdown (25)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolationGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsRequires improvement
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careGood