- Homecare service
Royalcare- Thanet
Assessment report published 15 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 18 to 27 August 2026. Royalcare Thanet is a care at home service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 24 people using the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulations in relation to staff recruitment and quality assurance. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.
People received safe care. Risks related to people’s care and the care environment had been assessed and mitigated. Staff knew how to identify abuse and leaders worked with the local safeguarding team to protect people from harm. Any accidents or incidents had been analysed and used to learn lessons and reduce the risk of them occurring again. People’s medicines were managed safely and they were protected from the risk of infection. Staff had been recruited safely and had been supported to develop the skills they needed to provide safe and effective care.
People’s care was effective. People’s needs were assessed and kept under review. Leaders used recognised tools to understand risks to people and plan their care. Staff worked with health care professionals to keep people as well as possible, identifying changes in their health and following treatment plans. People were supported to make choices and staff respected the choices they made.
People received kind, respectful and dignified care. Staff supported people to remain independent and have complete control over their care. People had privacy. Staff responded quickly to people’s changing needs, obtaining the care and treatment they needed.
People’s care was responsive to their needs and wishes. Staff planned people’s care with them and provided it in the way they preferred. Staff worked flexibly to ensure people got the support them needed in an emergency. People’s diverse needs were recognised and staff promoted equality. Staff respected people’s end of life preferences and supported them to remain comfortable and pain free at home.
The service was well led. The provider and registered manager had ensured there was an open culture, with clear roles and responsibilities. Staff felt support and appreciated. All areas of the service were checked regularly to identify and address any shortfalls. The provider was aware of changes in social care and had plans in place to continually improve the service.
People's experience of this service
People told us they felt safe when staff from Royalcare Thanet provided their care. Their comments included, “I feel safe and that counts for so much and gives me peace of mind”, “I look forward to seeing them” and “I feel safe, the carers are delightful”.
They confirmed staff arrived on time and informed them if they were going to be late. People and their relatives told us, “Their timekeeping is impeccable”, “They were only late once and that was because they were waiting for an ambulance for a previous client” and “They have never missed a visit”. People confirmed they knew how to raise any concerns they had including, “I would just call the manager if I had any concerns but the carers are so wonderful and know what they are doing” and “I have all contacts of all the different carers and manager. I would never need to escalate issues as everything is done so smoothly”.
People and their relatives told us staff were kind and caring. They described staff as, “Super lovely”, “They are so gentle when they turn (loved one) as they are bedbound”, “They are charming, helpful, engaging and intelligent” and “I listen to how they speak to my loved one and even though they have dementia they talk to them so gently”.
People confirmed their care was regularly reviewed and leaders responded to changes in their needs. For example, a person confirmed the number of visits they received had increased following a discussion with the registered manager. Others confirmed staff worked with health care professionals to keep them well, including “They get in touch with the district nurse and they organise them to visit”.
Staff made sure people were involved in making decisions around their care. A person told us, “I'm involved in all decisions regarding my care. The carers are really good at making sure I'm OK before providing care”.
People told us they would recommend the service to others and their care had improved since using Royalcare Thanet. Their comments included, “The other agency wasn't very good at communication but I'm really happy with this agency. The communication between me and the carers and the manager is really good”.
People told us they had been involved in planning their care with staff. Their comments included, “I have an organised care plan which I am happy with” and “My care plan is up to date as they adapt it along the way according to my needs”. Staff provided care in the way people preferred. People told us, “When new staff start they get to know my routine pretty quickly, which I like because I have a routine and I like to stick to it” and “Literally the moment they get through the door they understand my needs and know my preferences”.
People and relatives felt the service was well led and complimented the registered manager and provider. Their comments included, “The manager is extremely efficient, always polite and always picks up the phone”, “The manager certainly listens to me and completely knows what he is doing” and “The manager is excellent. He runs an excellent team”.