The Care Quality Commission
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  • Homecare service

Acorns Health Care

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Barn, Calcot Mount Buisness Park, Calcot Lane, Curdridge, Southampton, SO32 2BN (01489) 532099

Provided and run by:
Acorns (Southern) Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out this inspection from 31 March to 24 April 2026. The service is a supported living service, providing support to people within their own homes, including people requiring support with their mental health, people with a learning disability and autistic people. There were 36 people in receipt of a regulated activity at the time of the inspection. We inspected 33 quality statements. We inspected the service due to receiving information or concern and to follow up on the enforcement action we had taken during the previous inspection.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulations in relation to safeguarding from abuse and good governance. Some improvements were found at this inspection, and the provider was no longer in breach of safeguarding from abuse. The provider remained in breach of good governance.

We 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. We found people mostly received care and support in accordance with the principles of this guidance.

People’s assessed needs, some medicines and recruitment were not always managed safely. The provider’s internal monitoring systems failed to identify all of the concerns we found during this inspection and robust action had therefore not been taken to make improvements. The registered managers and provider were motivated to improve the service and started addressing these shortfalls during the inspection.

People were protected and kept safe.People were supported by staff who treated them with kindness and respected their dignity. Staff ensured people’s care and support met individual needs and preferences. Medicines were stored safely and where people were prescribed daily medicines, these were administered safely.

Staff received appropriate training and supervision. Staff were trained to raise and respond to safeguarding concerns both internally and to external agencies. Staff were able to raise concerns and told us managers were approachable and supportive.

There was a system in place for responding to concerns or complaints. A dedicated management team led the service.

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of assessment 14 May to 28 May 2024.

Acorns Health Care provides care and support to people living in their own home and in a 'supported living' setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. Not everyone using Acorns Health Care receives the regulated activity ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people receive personal care, we also consider any wider social care provided. There were 32 people being supported with the regulated activity.

A responsive assessment took place in response to concerns we had received relating to safeguarding, staffing and meeting people’s needs. We found breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safeguarding and governance.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance providers must have regard to. The provider did not always meet the requirements of this guidance. They were not able to evidence the correct legal process had been followed where restrictions had been placed on people’s liberty. There was a lack of clear understanding in the application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure people’s human rights were fully supported and upheld where restrictions had been imposed on them. The provider’s governance systems were not always effective in identifying some of the shortfalls we found at this assessment.

There were enough staff to ensure people’s safety and to meet their needs. Staff followed people’s personalised care planning to proactively support people and achieve positive outcomes. People and their relatives were involved in creating personalised training and inductions. The provider was passionate about improving people’s quality of life and this was reflected throughout the organisation.

30 June 2021

During a routine inspection

About the service

Acorns Health Care is a domiciliary care provider. At the time of this inspection 22 people received personal care support from the service. The service supported younger people with a variety of care needs, including people living with autism and learning disabilities. Some people had very limited verbal communication skills.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People felt safe living in their home with support provided by Acorns Health Care, and they were very much at the heart of the service. We received positive feedback from people, relatives and professionals about the care provided.

There were plans in place for foreseeable emergencies. Risks concerned with people’s health, care and the environment were assessed and reduced as far as was practicable.

Relevant recruitment checks were conducted before staff started working at the service to make sure they were of good character and had the necessary skills.

Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to identify, prevent and report abuse.

Medicines administration records (MAR) confirmed people had received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff had the qualities and skills to deliver effective care and staff felt supported by the training provided. Staff received support and one to one sessions or supervision to discuss areas of development.

Staff contacted healthcare professionals when they had concerns about people’s health and wellbeing. People were supported with their nutritional needs when required.

Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with people and their families. Staff were highly motivated and demonstrated a commitment to providing the best quality care to people in a compassionate way.

The provider’s quality assurance system helped the management team implement improvements that would benefit people.

There were appropriate management arrangements in place and relatives and professionals were very positive about the management in the home.

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.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture Right support:

• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and

independence

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human

rights

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people

using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 18 October 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.