Live in Care

Ratings

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

Date of assessment: 12 May to 2 June 2025 Live in Care is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. The service specialises in live-in care and community-based support, operating across a broad geographical area.

At the time of the assessment, 69 people were receiving support from the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. The assessment was carried out remotely.

The service does not directly employ carers. Instead, it registers care staff and creates personal profiles for clients to review and select their preferred carer. Once selected, the client becomes the carer’s employer. Despite this arrangement, the service retains oversight of care plans and staff training, which is why it remains registered with the CQC. It also plays a key role in conducting initial assessments, ongoing care reviews, and continuous monitoring of care quality and delivery.

There were enough registered carers to meet demand, and the service was actively onboarding new staff. This ensured people had access to a range of staff profiles, supporting them to choose who provided their care and maintain control over their care arrangements.

People were safeguarded from harm. Staff received training on recognising and reporting abuse. Safe recruitment systems were in place, however, some improvements were needed to ensure full adherence to the provider’s recruitment policy.

Care was delivered by staff who understood people’s needs and the importance of providing effective support. Records confirmed that mandatory training was completed. However, some improvements were needed in the way the service recorded client specific training when this was delivered by healthcare professionals directly to the specific carers to ensure records were clear. Checks of staff practices were conducted, but documentation did not always clearly reflect what was observed, especially regarding medicine administration and moving and handling. Staff were offered regular supervision and annual appraisals.

Care and support were responsive to people’s changing needs. Staff demonstrated an understanding of how to meet people’s individual requirements, and people were actively involved in developing their care plans.

Consent was obtained for care delivery, and those important to the individual were included in decision-making. However, improvements were needed in how this consent was documented in care records.

The service fostered a culture of listening, learning, and trust. Managers and office staff were visible, knowledgeable, and supportive, helping staff in their roles. Staff reported feeling supported, valued, and treated fairly, with no concerns about bullying or harassment.

People's experience of this service

We spoke to people and their relatives about their view of the care they received. We also reviewed records held by the service that documented people’s view, for example, from reviews of care or weekly phone calls. Everyone we spoke with had the highest praise for the staff and also the management. People told us that their care teams fitted into their family and were highly competent. The management team was said to be accessible and responsive. Most told us that the manager regularly rang every week to see that everything was going well. One family member said that the manager had been very helpful in helping to sort out a number of broader welfare issues, helping them to navigate both social care and health care. When we asked people how they felt about the care they received, comments included; “Timely, thoughtful, competent.”; “They’re so polite. Competent and reassuring.” and “It’s working really well. She’s settled in and we respect each other.” Comments from people’s relatives included: “Very happy. Happier and happier! Continuity across our four regulars is great.” and “They do whatever is necessary. So patient”.