Verity Healthcare - Milton Keynes

Ratings

• Overall

  Requires improvement

• Safe

  Requires improvement

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Requires improvement

Our view of the service

Date of assessment 3 February 2025 to 17 March 2025, we visited the office location on the 3 February 2025. We carried out this assessment due to concerns received from commissioners about the quality and safety of the care being provided to people. Verity Healthcare – Milton Keynes is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care support to people living in their own homes. We found 2 breaches of legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and governance arrangements. The provider did not effectively assess risks to people’s health and safety, as care plans and risk assessments in place for people were not always accurate. Staff did not always have consistent guidance to ensure people were supported safely. Very few people in receipt of the regulated activity of personal care received support with medicines, where this was provided measures were not consistently in place to ensure medicines were safely managed. The governance systems in place at the service were not effective in identifying areas for improvement and ensuring action was taken to improve the service. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, the provider ensured action was taken to safeguard people following safeguarding referrals being made. Staff had received all the training required to ensure they were able to carry out their roles. The service had deteriorated since our last inspection. In instances where CQC have decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representation and/or appeals have been concluded.

People's experience of this service

People and their relatives were positive about the care they received. People felt safe and said they were involved in initial assessments and planning their care. People told us the staff knew them well and that where possible they received care from the same staff. People told us they received their care calls on time and if staff were going to be late, they were informed. People were asked for their consent before staff provided their care, they told us they felt respected by staff and staff were considerate and treated them with kindness and dignity. People were supported to remain as independent as possible. While people expressed general satisfaction with their care, our assessment found elements of care did not meet the expected standards.