AQS Homecare Dorset

Updated 22 January 2025

AQS Homecare Dorset is a domiciliary care service providing a regulated activity of personal care. The service was providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only assesses 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. At the time of the assessment there were 37 people receiving personal care from the service. The assessment took place on 23 and 24 January 2025. 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 these people. The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the principles of right support, right care, right culture. People were protected from avoidable harm. Staff were knowledgeable regarding reporting potential abuse and safeguarding referrals were made. People received care that was responsive to their individual needs. Risks to people were identified, assessed and reviewed which enabled staff to support people safely and effectively. Sufficient levels of staff had been recruited safely and had the necessary skills, experience and training to support people safely. People felt listened to and staff felt supported in their roles. Staff had a comprehensive understanding of how people preferred to have their care and support provided. The service was working within the principles of The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were provided with person-centred support. Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and patience and ensured people were given choice in how they received their care and support.

Updated 22 January 2025

People told us they felt safe with the care and support provided by AQS Homecare Dorset and looked forward to the visits by care staff. One person said, “I’m very happy with the support, they are very good.” People told us they knew their care staff well and they received their visits, on time, from a small regular team of staff that were trained well. One person told us, “I know all of them now, I’ve met most of them. There are about 6 on rotation, more often I get the same 2 to 3 care staff. I know all the faces now.” There were enough staff to support people safely. People were treated with dignity, kindness and respect. Another person said, “They absolutely treat me with respect. They care that you are comfortable in your own house and everything is as you want it.” People were supported to maintain their independence. People told us the staff encouraged them to help themselves with their daily tasks, wherever this was possible, whilst still providing support with tasks people could not undertake independently. Care staff supported people to attend health appointments such as hospital and optician appointments. One person commented, “They are lovely I can’t fault them at all."