- Homecare service
Universal Care Agency Ltd
Assessment report published 11 June 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment 8 April to 6 May 2025.
Universal Care Agency Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides care and support 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.
There were several areas of improvement seen during this assessment from our last inspection, including but not limited to; more detailed care plans and risk assessments, more structured provider oversight and additional systems and processes to help ensure the quality and safety of the service. Although improvements were found, the pace of progress had been slow.
Not all systems were robust which meant we could not be fully assured the provider understood how to apply the regulations. For example, audits in relation to staff recruitment did not identify the lack of completed pre-employment checks in line with the statutory requirements and systems in place to ensure safe administration of medicine were not robust in demonstrating medicines had been administered as required. Additionally, action plans in place had been slow to develop to an appropriate standard, which had resulted in delays to improvements being made. Some areas required further work, and more time was needed to embed the changes into practice and ensure they were sustained. These issues were all discussed with the provider who confirmed they would be addressed.
Based on the findings of this assessment the service has been given an overall rating of good. However, we found a continued breach of regulation in relation to good governance. We will continue to monitor the service.
People's experience of this service
During the assessment we received feedback from 3 people, 4 relatives, 1 professional and 4 members of staff including the provider who was also the nominated individual and registered manager. We also reviewed 6 people’s care records in detail.
People said they received high quality care from knowledgeable staff who treated them as individuals and respected their personal preferences. They told us they were treated with kindness and respect by staff who offered choices and ensured their privacy and dignity were maintained. People were supported by a consistent staff team they knew well who were punctual and reliable.
People and their relatives were fully involved in planning their care. They felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken and any improvements made. They told us they had regular contact with, and visits from, the provider. Everyone we spoke with were exceptionally positive about how the service was managed and all said they would recommend the service to others requiring care and support.