- Homecare service
Austen Allen Homecare - East Kent
Assessment report published 8 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 29 April to 18 May 2026. Austen Allen Homecare - East Kent is a care at home agency that 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 13 people were receiving support with personal care. This was the first inspection since this service registered with CQC. This service had a registered manager in place.
The service delivered safe, effective and person-centred care. Systems were in place to monitor care delivery, identify risks and respond to concerns. Issues identified were addressed and used to improve practice, reducing the risk of harm to people.
Care was planned in line with people’s needs and reviewed when these changed. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and knew how to escalate concerns. Staff were supported through supervision and oversight, contributing to consistent care delivery.
People and their relatives were positive about the service. They described care as reliable, respectful and responsive, with no missed visits reported. Feedback from people and relatives was acted upon, including changes made when concerns were raised.
Leadership oversight was evident and supported a culture of learning and improvement. Overall, the provider demonstrated good quality care supported by effective systems and consistent practice.
People's experience of this service
People using the service and their relatives were positive about the care provided and said they felt safe and well supported. Care visits were reliable, with no missed calls reported, and people said they were usually informed if staff were running late. People described staff as kind and respectful and said their dignity was maintained during care. They felt involved in their care and were supported to remain as independent as possible, with staff encouraging them to do what they could for themselves. People and relatives said they would feel confident raising concerns and believed these would be addressed. Examples were given where feedback had been acted on. The manager was described as approachable and available when needed. Overall, people felt they experienced care that was safe, respectful and responsive to their needs.