- Homecare service
Alexandras Community Care Truro
Assessment report published 19 September 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 13 August to 28 August 2025
Alexandras Community Care Truro is a Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) providing personal care to people living in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects DCAs where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and/or support with eating and drinking. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the assessment the service supported 111 people, 92 of those were receiving the regulated activity personal care. The service is recorded with CQC as supporting people with dementia, people with physical disabilities, and people with a sensory impairment. However, they were also supporting people with mental health problems and people with a learning disability or autistic people. Therefore, we considered 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.
This was a planned assessment of all quality statements under the key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.We found safeguarding processes had not been consistently followed and action had not been taken to protect people when potential safeguarding incidents were reported. Systems to help ensure safe recruitment had not always been adhered to. Systems to monitor the service and drive improvements were not robust. There was a lack of reflective practice to help ensure lessons were learned when things went wrong.
There were enough staff to support people. They told us they felt well supported and received regular supervisions and spot checks. Staff completed training in core subjects the provider had identified as necessary for the service. However, not all staff had received training in supporting people with a learning disability or autistic people. Mental health awareness training was provided at induction, but this was generic and did not address people’s specific needs.
The service worked well with other healthcare professionals, escalating any health concerns to the relevant agency appropriately.
Work had been completed with a local community group to enhance individuals’ lives.
We identified 3 breaches of the regulations in relation to safeguarding, recruitment and good governance.
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.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
People's experience of this service
Most people told us they were happy with the care provided. Feedback about staff was largely positive although some people reported some could be ‘abrupt’. However, people generally described staff as friendly, caring, and respectful. Many noted they were attentive to privacy and treated them with dignity, particularly during personal care. One person told us, “They don't rush me; they draw the curtains, close the door; they're very mindful of my privacy.”
Several people reported seeing a wide range of different carers rather than the same ones consistently. Comments included; “I prefer having the same staff” and “If I don’t see certain staff for ages I have to tell them what I want doing and how I want it doing because they’ve forgotten.” However, some people had reported to management that they wanted to have 1 or 2 particular carers and this had been arranged.
People gave mixed feedback about staff timekeeping. Most said staff generally arrived on time and stayed for the correct amount of time, but a few raised concerns about delays or staff leaving early. One person told us, “They’re really good on time keeping; they stay unless they're sent away. They always ask if there's anything they can do before they go. They'll sit and chat with [relative].” However, people who had experienced late visits told us they were not consistently updated when staff were running late and this could cause frustration and worry.
Most people told us they were comfortable contacting the office or management team if needed. One commented, “‘They’re very good at responding and changing the timings.”