- Homecare service
Golden Keys Care Agency Ltd
Assessment report published 16 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 11 August 2026 to 27 August 2026.
Golden Keys Care Agency Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to adults living in their own homes. At the time of our assessment, 58 people were receiving personal care. The service supported people with a range of needs, including complex health conditions.
Care records did not always provide staff with sufficient guidance to meet people's needs safely and consistently. Specialist advice was not always reflected in care plans and medicines records contained inaccuracies and inconsistencies. People and relatives described occasions when care visits were undertaken by carers who were not regularly involved in providing support. These staff were sometimes less familiar with people's routines, preferences and support needs, which affected the consistency of care.
Governance systems had not effectively identified or addressed concerns relating to care records, risk assessments, consent documentation, workforce records and outcome monitoring. As a result, leaders could not be assured risks were consistently identified, monitored and mitigated, or that people always received safe care. We have asked the provider to submit an action plan addressing the concerns identified.
We identified 4 breaches of regulation relating to medicines management, safe care and treatment, consent to care, staffing and good governance.
However, people and relatives were generally positive about the care they received and described regular staff as kind, compassionate and respectful. People were involved in decisions about their care, supported to maintain their independence and treated with dignity. The service demonstrated elements of Right Care, Right Support and Right Culture through a person-centred approach that promoted choice, inclusion and independence. Staff worked effectively with health and social care professionals to support people's wellbeing, and leaders were visible and committed to improvement.
Overall, people experienced caring and responsive support. However, improvements were required in governance, workforce assurance and leadership oversight to ensure people consistently received safe, effective and high-quality care.
In instances where CQC has begun a process of regulatory action, we may publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded, if the action has been taken forward.
People's experience of this service
People were generally positive about their experience of receiving care and support from the service. People told us they felt well supported by staff who were kind, friendly and took time to build positive relationships with them. They described feeling reassured by the support they received and valued the encouragement staff provided to help maintain their independence and wellbeing. One person said, “I feel really supported, they give me a really good feeling.” Another described staff as “nice, friendly, helpful, understanding, caring and most of all they have a laugh and cheer me up.”
People told us staff treated them with dignity and respect and sought their consent before providing support. One person said, “Yes, they always ask my permission.” Others described staff as respectful, polite and attentive to their preferences. People felt involved in decisions about their care and said staff supported them to remain as independent as possible. Several people told us staff regularly checked whether there was anything else they could do to help and adapted support in response to requests.
People and relatives provided examples of staff recognising changes in wellbeing and responding appropriately. Relatives described how carers escalated health concerns and helped reduce avoidable hospital admissions. People also told us staff noticed when they were not themselves and took action to provide additional support.
Feedback about continuity of care was mixed. Many people valued having regular carers and the relationships they had developed with them. However, some people and relatives reported that changes in staffing sometimes affected consistency of care because staff were less familiar with people's care and support needs.
Overall, people described staff as caring, compassionate and supportive, helping them feel respected, involved in decisions and reassured about their care. However, some people and relatives said their experience was improved when support was provided by regular carers who knew them well and understood their individual needs.