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Wisteria Care

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Middlefield House, Marlott Road, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4FA (01747) 852107

Provided and run by:
Mr & Mrs S Wortley

Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Our current view of the service

Good

Updated 16 September 2026

Date of assessment: 23 September 2026 to 1 October 2026.

Wisteria Care is a homecare agency registered to provide support to people living in their own homes. The service is registered to support whole population, people with dementia, people with mental health needs, sensory impairments, physical disability and people with a learning disability. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is to help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our assessment there were 57 people receiving a regulated service.

We visited the location's office on 23 September 2026. We gave the service notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the assessment.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. At the time of the assessment, the service was not supporting any autistic people or people with a learning disability, but the provider had regard to ‘Right support, right care, right culture’.

People received safe, personalised care that met their needs. Staff were aware of their responsibility to identify and report potential abuse. People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff completed safeguarding training and were confident any concerns raised would be properly dealt with. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs, and people were supported by a consistent staff team.

People were complimentary about the staff and positive relationships had been developed. People had a person–centred and comprehensive care plan, which they helped devise and review regularly. People were involved in managing risk and emerging risks were responded to in a timely manner. Staff sought peoples consent before providing care and support. Where appropriate, people were supported to access GP and primary care services.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences.

Staff had been recruited safely with all pre-employment checks completed prior to them starting work. Staff were supported in their role with good access to training and supervision. Staff felt able to speak openly with the management team. The new manager had implemented systems to facilitate good communication, and processes to record and learn from any incidents, accidents or complaints that occurred. A regular programme of spot checks was in place to review the quality and safety of care delivery.

Effective systems for monitoring quality and safety were in place, including audits, spot checks and oversight of practice. Feedback from people was obtained by the provider and was used to support improvements within the service. The provider had established a process of learning from events that placed individuals at risk. Openness and transparency about safety was actively encouraged and embedded in the service.

 

 

People's experience of the service

Updated 16 September 2026

People and their relatives spoke positively about the service, confirming people’s needs were met and staff had provided safe and compassionate support. People and their relatives felt involved in managing risks, and risk assessments were person-centred, proportionate and reviewed regularly. Staff had access to assessments and records via the electronic care planning system, which meant oversight was in real time, and changes could be made quickly. Staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible, providing support only where necessary.

Staff involved people in their care and respected their decisions. People and relatives, including legal representatives, confirmed they were, when appropriate, involved in creating and reviewing people’s care plans. One relative told us, “When office staff come to review the care plan, they ask both of us how things are going, any changes we need to the plan, and they ask about the carers' approach.”

People were treated with kindness and supported to meet their individual needs. Staff ensured people were listened to and took the time to get to know the people they were supporting, including finding out what was important to them and how they preferred to be supported. Comments included, “They are very kind; never once has [family member] said [they] didn’t like any of the staff. They are always cheerful”, “Carers have a good rapport with my [family member], they always chat to [them], have a joke, there’s lots of laughing” and “Staff always listen to me. They are very caring."

People and relatives told us they had an annual questionnaire to fill in where they were asked about their views of the service. People and relatives were comfortable with approaching the office staff with any concerns they had and were confident the management would address them. Comments included, “They are great, well-run company. Office staff are easy to speak to, carers are very kind and knowledgeable” and “Whenever I have spoken to the office staff, they listened and I was happy with their response.”