Abide Home Care achieved a Good rating across all five key questions at its February 2023 inspection, with 59 people receiving personal care in their own homes. The service demonstrated safe, person-centred care underpinned by strong governance, an open culture, and effective use of electronic systems for care planning and medicines management.
Strengths
· People felt safe and staff demonstrated clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and reporting processes.
· Robust recruitment practices including DBS checks and employment history verification ensured safe staffing.
· Electronic care planning system kept staff updated on people's risks, medicines, and changing needs in real time.
· Medicines managed safely with electronic records, missed-dose alerts, competency assessments, and regular audits.
· Care records were personalised, regularly reviewed, and completed in conjunction with people and their relatives.
Abide Home Care received a Good rating across all five key questions at its first inspection in November 2017, reflecting a caring, well-organised and person-centred domiciliary service for 16 people in Brixham. A single medication error was identified but appropriately managed; no systemic failures were found.
Concerns (1)
minorMedication management — “There had been a medication error in the past 12 months. Staff identified that one person's medicines had been given by staff and the person's neighbour.”
Strengths
· People consistently described staff as kind, caring and compassionate, with comments such as 'I cannot fault my carers, they are marvellous' and 'Care is in their name and actions'.
· Safe and robust recruitment procedures were in place including DBS checks, written references, health screening and identity confirmation.
· Risk assessments were completed for each person covering falls, nutrition, skin care, mobility and home environment, with actions taken to mitigate identified risks.
· Staff were well trained, supported and felt valued, with regular supervision, appraisals and staff meetings to embed good practice.
· The service complied with the Accessible Information Standard, including use of tablet-based communication for a non-verbal service user.