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St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

South End, Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, SG10 6EW (01279) 843451

Provided and run by:
St Elizabeth's Centre

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Our current view of the service

Good

Updated 8 May 2025

Date of assessment: 29 May to 16 June 2025.

We undertook an inspection of St Elizabeth’s Domiciliary Care Agency on 29 May 2025, 5 June 2025, and 9th June 2025. At our last inspection, the service was rated as requires improvement (Published 10 January 2023).

This was the first inspection carried out under our single assessment framework and was unannounced. This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about the service and intelligence.

St Elizabeth Domiciliary Care Agency provides personal care for people in their own homes. The service supported people with a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 25 people being supported with the regulated activity of personal care.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic. The service met this guidance.

We spoke with 10 staff members. This included support workers, managers and senior leaders. We spoke with 2 professionals that supported the people living at the service.

People felt safe and were supported by staff who understood their individual needs. Risk assessments were person-centred and regularly reviewed. Safeguarding procedures were well understood and followed. Staff were well-trained and worked collaboratively with health and social care professionals. People were supported to make informed choices and maintain their health and wellbeing.

People were treated with kindness and respect. Staff built trusting relationships and supported people in a way that promoted dignity and emotional wellbeing.

Support was tailored to each person’s preferences and regularly reviewed. People were encouraged to pursue interests and maintain important relationships. Feedback was welcomed and acted upon.

People and staff felt listened to and involved. The service had a positive and inclusive culture. Leadership was visible and approachable, and quality assurance systems were in place to monitor and improve care.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment, person centred care and good governance. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation.

People's experience of the service

Updated 8 May 2025

We met 22 people, spoke with 10 people and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. Where people who used the service were unable to talk with us, we used different ways of communicating including using Makaton (a type of sign language), pictures, objects of reference and observed their body language.

People who used the service felt safe, valued, and supported by kind, well-trained staff who upheld their independence and dignity. Relatives shared high levels of satisfaction, praising the service’s adaptability with their clear communication, and the thoughtful, positive support provided to their relatives. They felt welcomed, heard, and reassured by the consistent and compassionate care. Overall, the service was viewed as person-centred, proactive, and dedicated to ongoing improvement, with individuals, families, and staff feeling included and listened to.