- Homecare service
Alpine House
Assessment report published 5 August 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Inspection: 14 May 2025 to 03 June 2025. The inspection included a site visit which took place on the 14 May 2025, with additional information and evidence reviewed remotely.
We looked at 3 key questions: Safe, Responsive and Well-led.
The service is a domiciliary care agency and provides personal care to people living in their own homes. CQC only inspects where people are receiving the regulated activity personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we consider any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection 87 people were receiving support with personal care. The assessment was prompted following a review of information we held about the service. We found 1 breach of regulation in relation to good governance.
Plans were in place to support people to manage risks, but they needed some development, so risks were managed effectively, and staff had the guidance needed to support people safely. The provider had governance systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service, but these were not always effective.
There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. The registered manager made sure staff received training and support to carry out their role. Some systems were in place to support medicine management, but more information was needed about how people should be supported to take their medicines.
There was only a small number of people with a learning disability receiving support at the time of our inspection. We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.
Right Support - Staff ensured they communicated and shared information with people in a way they could easily understand. People were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Governance systems and audits were not always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement.
Right Care - Staff followed current best practice guidelines regarding infection prevention and control. People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. Staff spoke positively about the people they supported.
Right culture–There was a registered manager in place and a stable staff and management team. The registered manager was not always receptive to feedback on the quality and safety of the service.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 4 people who used the service, 15 relatives and 10 staff members.
People and relatives were positive about the quality of the care they received. They felt safe and were involved in planning their care. People said they received care from staff who treated them kindly, and they had regular care staff. Most people told us their care calls were on time. People and relatives knew who to contact and told us they would speak to the registered manager if they needed to.
One person told us, “I can’t praise them enough; from the time they come in to when they leave, we have a laugh and a joke. I look forward to them coming. If I’m unwell it doesn’t faze them, they are very sympathetic and take their time. It is totally different from a care service I had before, these have got time to talk. They made my birthday special; I couldn’t believe it.” Another person told us, “It’s a very caring service. They are very considerate, prepared to spend time with me. They are respectful of me and my home, very polite, they explain everything they are doing.” A relative told us, “They (staff) are always pleasant and respectful."