- Homecare service
Dolphin Healthcare Services
Assessment report published 29 August 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 24 July 2025 to 11 August 2025. The inspection included a site visit which took place on the 24 July 2025 and 29 July 2025, with additional information and evidence reviewed remotely.
This assessment was carried out due to information of concern we had received about the provider. We looked at 3 key questions: Safe, Effective and Well-led.
Dolphin Healthcare Services UK is registered to provide 2 types of adult social care services; Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) and Supported Living. At the time of this inspection, only the DCA service was actively delivering regulated care. The Supported Living service was not providing care and therefore was not included within the scope of this inspection.
CQC only inspects where people are receiving the regulated activity personal care and treatment of disease, disorder, or Injury, either directly by a healthcare professional or under their supervision. This includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people receive personal care, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection 32 people were receiving support with personal care.
There were 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.
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. 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. There was a registered manager in place and a stable staff and management team.
Plans were in place to support people to manage risks. 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 at identifying areas of improvement and taking actions where required.
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. Systems were in place to support medicine administration and management.
People's experience of this service
People received safe care, were protected from abuse and had their human rights promoted. The service followed safe recruitment processes and there were enough staff to support people. People’s medicines were safely managed. Care and risk management plans were individualised and met people’s needs. Staff knew people well and knew how they liked to be supported. We spoke with 2 people who used the service, 7 relatives and 11 staff members. Not all people could speak with us. Where this was the case, we assessed people's experience by speaking with relatives and staff as well as reviewing people's care records.
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.
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 am in good hands with the carers, they support me a lot, I have two carers three times a day they always turn up on time which is good, and they have never let me down.”
Another person told us, “The carer is well trained and knows the routine I don’t have to say anything they just get on with it. If I am struggling to stand whilst having a shower, they encourage me to take my time they are very patient and considerate.”
A relative told us, “Having the carers in our lives has made such a big difference and I feel fully confident with the care and support my loved one receives, the care is genuine, and they really enjoy looking after my loved one, to see my loved one happy and in a good place gives me a good feeling.”