Choices Homecare (Rotherham North & Doncaster)

Updated 16 March 2026

Date of assessment: 20 to 25 April 2026. Choices Homecare (Rotherham North Doncaster) is a domiciliary care agency, providing support and personal care to people in their own homes. Staff supported older people and younger adults, with different health needs. At the time of our assessment 78 people were receiving support from the service. The service supported a small number of people with a learning disability. An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. The service was not always meeting the principles of Right support, right care, right culture’. At our last assessment we rated this service good, at this assessment the service has been rated requires improvement. We have identified breaches of regulation in relation to staffing, managing risks and governance.

Systems to record and review incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns required improvement, and care records contained gaps and inaccuracies. There were shortfalls in staffing, training, risk management and monitoring of infection prevention and control.

Improvements were required to ensure people’s needs were assessed, reviewed and recorded accurately. Care plans lacked consistent, robust information to guide evidence‑based care, support people’s health needs and outcomes, and reflect people’s wishes. Consent processes were in place and people’s capacity to consent was assessed. People had access to external healthcare professionals where required.

The service had clear vision and values; however, these were not consistently embedded. Staff and people gave mixed feedback about culture and leadership. Governance and oversight systems were not robust and failed to identify or address concerns we found. A service development plan was in place, with timescales for completion, to ensure concerns could be addressed. This required embedding at the time of our assessment.

Updated 16 March 2026

We gathered feedback via telephone calls and speaking to people or relatives. We received mixed feedback from people using the service about their care and support. Some people told us they lacked a continuity of care due to staff changes, whilst others told us they were happy with the staff they received. We also received mixed feedback about people feeling listened to and the management of the service. People told us staff were kind and caring. Comments included, “Some of them [staff] are terrible. I have contacted the office, but nothing changes” and “The care is great they have improved [name’s] quality of life.”