- Homecare service
Dove Home Care Agency Limited
Assessment report published 13 July 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 27 April to 19 May 2026. The service is a homecare service providing support to older people living with dementia, physical disabilities, sensory impairments and learning disabilities. Whilst homecare visits were provided locally to the service, the service also provided a national live-in care service. Live-in care is when a carer lives in a person’s home to provide ongoing support with their day-to-day needs. At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting a total of 245 individuals who were receiving the regulated activity: personal care.
The Inspection was a responsive assessment due to concerns received about the service,
We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Overall, systems and processes were not always robust which meant people were not always fully protected from risk. Governance arrangements were not consistently effective in identifying and addressing concerns, including gaps in call monitoring oversight, staff training, recruitment processes, and delays in reviewing medicines.
Risk assessments were not always in place or aligned with care delivery, and care planning documentation was not consistently up to date or reflective of changes in people’s needs. This limited staff guidance created risks around areas such as fire safety, safeguarding reporting, and medicines management. Systems for consent and decision-making were not always clearly evidenced, and care was not always consistently person-centred, with limited detail around people’s preferences, equality needs, and future wishes.
However, people reported they felt safe and well supported, and staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding, consent, and infection prevention. Feedback about care was consistently positive, with people describing staff as kind, respectful and supportive of their independence. Staff worked collaboratively with external professionals and made referrals where needed to improve outcomes. There was a positive and caring culture, with most staff feeling supported by approachable managers and able to raise concerns.
The provider was open to feedback and had begun taking action to address issues identified, demonstrating a willingness to improve.
The provider was in breach of 4 legal regulations relative to person-centred care, need for consent, safe care and treatment, and governance and oversight. In instances where CQC has begun a process of regulatory action, we may publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded, if the action has been taken forward.
People's experience of this service
People’s experience of the service was generally positive, with feedback describing caring, responsive and well-organised support. People and relatives spoke highly of staff skills and approach, noting that carers treated people with dignity, respected their privacy and provided care that met individual needs. The management team were seen as approachable and effective, responding quickly to concerns and taking appropriate action when issues were raised.
However, concerns were raised about carers being late to visits, which some felt may be due to insufficient travel time being allocated. Others highlighted a need for clearer communication, such as advance rotas and timely updates when staff were delayed, as well as additional training in areas such as mental health.