- Homecare service
Home Instead Mid Cornwall
Assessment report published 10 April 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
This announced comprehensive assessment took place on 11 February 2026. The service was last assessed 16 July 2017. Home Instead Mid Cornwall is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to older adults based in Bodmin, Fowey, Wadebridge, and surrounding areas of mid Cornwall. Home Instead Mid Cornwall is a franchise of the national provider Home Instead.
Not everyone using the service received personal care. CQC only assesses where people receive ‘personal care;’ help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. At the time of the assessment the service supported 55 older people, with 33 people receiving personal care and employed 37 people along with the nominated individual and registered manager. People received a minimum of 1-hour calls.
The assessment looked at all the key questions; safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. Following the assessment we have rated the service outstanding overall.
The service had a clear mission “To improve and professionalise the experience of working in care” care staff were referred to as ‘care professionals.’ Staff were exceptionally well trained with a focus on continued learning and improvement. A recruitment assessment programme kept potential staff updated with their progress in starting with Home Instead. Care staff had the skills to meet people’s support needs and were matched with clients by considering their needs, routines, personalities, social preferences, medical requirements, and favourite activities. Staff consistently spoke highly about the service, and one said they had “Not worked for a company that care as much about their staff and clients as they do.” and “I would like them to look after me when I am older.”
The service always put people central to care planning, ensuring their choices and preferences were prioritised. Care plans focused on people’s current situations and desired outcomes. For example, a person wanted to continue to walk their dog despite impaired vision, with the help of care staff they were able to do this.
People were supported by small teams who knew them well. They understood their individual needs and preferences with a very strong emphasis on the provision of activities and reducing social isolation.
People were protected from abuse and risks to their safety had been identified and mitigated. The provider worked with people to understand and manage risk by thinking holistically so care met their needs in a way that was supportive and enabled them to do things that mattered to them.
Care staff excelled in delivering kind and compassionate care. They always looked for ways to improve people’s lives and were very proud and motivated to work for the organisation.
People's experience of this service
We heard from people, staff and professionals who shared their positive experiences, evidencing the exceptional care and support provided when staff had the benefit of having quality time to spend with people. A relative told us, “[My relative] was told by the hospital after their hip replacement that they would be lucky if they could walk more than a few steps. With the care staff working alongside the Occupational Therapist, they have exercised every time they do a call. As a result, they have excelled in their recovery, and the care staff have had to tell them to slow down and use their frame.” One person told us, “Care staff worked well together and get everything done to keep me safely living at home.” “Care staff are very good at supporting and encouraging […] they only ask to take over if [my relative] is struggling.” A person said, “[Home Instead Mid Cornwall] visited me when I was in hospital, and we had a long conversation about what support I needed and they really seemed to understand my need to remain as independent as possible.” People and relatives described the care delivered from a small team of care staff who kept a close eye on everything. There was consistency, care staff were proactive and seemed to work well together and had good communication skills. The provider ensured new staff were introduced to people. A person said, “There are a small team of care staff allocated to me, so it does change but I have never had a stranger walk into my house.” A relative told us, “I think staff training is excellent, and care has been brilliant and flexible.” A relative explained that when their relative could not be found, the carer had contacted them, and they had worked together to find the person. “[The carer] found them and got them safely home. They were a lifesaver.”