CQC rates Kent care service Outstanding following first inspection

Care First 24 Ltd has been rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its first inspection of the service.

The Kent-based domiciliary care provider supports adults and children with a range of complex needs, including people living with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 70 people in their own homes and supporting three people in a supported living setting.

The CQC rated the service Outstanding in the areas of Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led, while Safe was rated Good.

According to the inspection report, staff delivered highly personalised care that focused on people’s individual goals, preferences and independence. Inspectors found that care plans were regularly reviewed and tailored to each person’s changing needs, with staff receiving specialist training relevant to the people they supported.

The report highlights several examples of outcomes achieved through the service, including supporting one person to regain independence following a period of severe neglect and helping a child with complex needs leave hospital to live safely at home with their family.

Inspectors also found that people receiving end-of-life care were supported to achieve personal wishes that were important to them and their families, with staff taking additional steps to make meaningful experiences possible.

The CQC reported that staff adapted their communication to meet individual needs, including using non-verbal methods where appropriate, enabling people to make informed choices about their care. People were encouraged to maintain their independence, take positive risks where appropriate and participate in activities that improved their quality of life.

The inspection also found evidence of the provider working to reduce health inequalities. One example included involving an autistic person using the service as an autism and learning disability champion to help improve staff understanding and the care provided to others with similar experiences.

Inspectors noted that Care First 24 Ltd worked closely with other health and social care organisations to support coordinated care and had taken part in wider improvement initiatives, including projects aimed at supporting hospital discharge and improving nutrition for older people.

The report also highlighted the provider’s leadership, finding that managers promoted an open culture where staff felt supported to raise concerns, learn from incidents and continually improve the quality and safety of the service.

The full inspection report is available on the CQC website.

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