During an assessment under our new approach
Date of assessment: 29 January to 6 February 2026. Cheriton Homecare is a domiciliary care agency providing support to adults in their own homes. People had a variety of different health needs, and several people were in receipt of live in care. At the time of the inspection, 11 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
This inspection was prompted by the age of rating since our last inspection and a safeguarding incident, which indicated potential concerns about the management of risk around communication alerts should an emergency occur. This inspection examined those risks. During this inspection we did not find any on-going risks to people and a number of immediate measures had been put in place to strengthen existing processes.
People received care that was safe and effective, delivered in line with their needs and wishes. Staff were exceptionally kind and compassionate, took pride in the support they gave to people and strived to treat each person as an individual. The service excelled in treating people with respect and dignity. They placed people at the forefront of their own care and went above and beyond to make them feel empowered and independent. Care was provided in a flexible and creative way which was bespoke to people’s preferences. People told us they felt listened to and their care was a collaborative process.
Care plans were detailed and person-centred. Risks were managed and where possible, positive risks were taken to promote good outcomes for people. Staff had a good knowledge of safeguarding and the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and upheld the principles of these throughout the care they delivered. Care was provided alongside national guidelines for practice, and staff had a strong working relationship with external professionals. People were supported equitably to access these.
Staff were supported by a proactive registered manager who created an open and transparent culture where any areas of concern could be discussed and acted upon quickly. There was a drive for continuous improvement. Training was robust and innovative, with bespoke videos which had been developed using artificial intelligence.
Governance systems were robust and regular real-time checks were completed by office staff to ensure any issues were highlighted quickly. Workforce well-being was a priority at the service, and a number of measures were in place to maximise this. Feedback consistently told us that the registered manager and office team were approachable, kind and caring and this led to a team which worked hard to safely meet people’s needs.