- Homecare service
Acer Healthcare Northwood & Ruislip
Assessment report published 23 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of the assessment: 5 to 20 October 2026.
Acer Healthcare Northwood Ruislip is registered to provide personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of our assessment, 16 people were using the service.
The service was registered with CQC on 4 September 2023. This was the first assessment. The service has been rated good.
There were systems to ensure people received safe care and treatment. Managers assessed risks to their safety and wellbeing. They created plans to mitigate risks and to help keep people safe. Staff completed a range of training to help them understand how people needed to be supported in a safe way.
The provider investigated and responded to accidents, incidents and concerns. They kept people informed about outcomes. Staff learnt from these and improvements were made to the service.
There were enough staff to support people and meet their needs. There were systems to ensure safe recruitment and checks. Staff completed a thorough induction and had the information they needed for their roles. Managers provided them with supervision and guidance. Staff told us they felt supported and enjoyed working at the service.
The provider assessed and planned for people’s care and support needs. They involved people and their relatives in care planning. People were able to make decisions and could request changes. Staff monitored their health and wellbeing. People consented to their care.
People were cared for by kind, caring and polite staff. People received personalised care which reflected their individual needs and choices. They were supported to retain independence. People’s human rights and diverse needs were respected. People had enough information about the service and could share their views.
There were effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service. There was no registered manager at the time of our assessment, although there was a team of senior staff and directors who worked closely to oversee the day to day running of the agency. They were in the process of recruiting a new manager. The provider carried out a range of audits based on best practice guidance. They used these to help drive improvements. The governance processes were well established and remained effective whilst no registered manager was in post.
People's experience of this service
People had a good experience using the service. They received personalised care which reflected their preferences. People were happy with the service. A person explained, “They are reliable and professional.” People had good relationships with the care workers who they liked. Comments from people and their relatives included, “The care workers listen and are empathetic. That is important to me”, “They are friendly and they chat with [person]” and “The best thing about the agency is the individual care workers.”
People and their relatives told us care workers arrived on time and stayed for the agreed length of time. They were cared for by the same regular staff. They felt staff were well trained and understood about providing good care.
Relatives told us they would recommend the agency to others and explained the agency had a positive impact on people’s lives. Their comments included, “They have taken the stress off me and made my life easier”, “They give peace of mind. They have been beneficial for [person]”, “We look forward to them coming”, “They are lovely and fit in with the family” and “Their support has allowed [person] to remain at home.”
People and their relatives told us they felt safe with the care staff. Their comments included, “I feel confident leaving [person] with them”, “There is continuity of care workers, and this helps us feel safe” and “I have every confidence in them. [Person] is absolutely safe.” Relatives also told us care workers supported people to maintain their independence, make choices about their care and be involved in decisions.
People knew who to contact if they had a complaint or wanted to speak about the care. They told us managers were responsive and friendly.