Verve Homecare Sussex Ltd

This was the first assessment of this newly registered domiciliary care service. The assessment was completed to assess the quality and safety of care being provided and to provide the service with its first rating.

People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed and managed well, with care plans and risk assessments tailored to people’s individual needs and reviewed when circumstances changed. Safeguarding arrangements were robust and staff understood their responsibilities. Medicines were managed safely, and infection prevention and control practices were effective. There were enough suitably skilled and competent staff to meet people’s needs, supported by safe recruitment processes, specialist training and ongoing supervision.

Care and support were effective and based on thorough assessments completed with people and their families. Care was delivered in line with professional guidance and clinical instructions. Staff worked well with healthcare professionals and other agencies to ensure care was coordinated and responsive. People’s health and wellbeing were monitored, and staff acted promptly when concerns were identified to help prevent deterioration and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

Staff treated people with kindness, compassion and respect, and took time to understand what mattered to them. Care was personalised, with people and families actively involved in decisions about care and support. Feedback showed people felt listened to, supported and reassured by staff. One parent described staff as “calm and confident” and told us they felt reassured by the way care was delivered.

Staff were responsive to people’s needs. Care plans were individualised and reviewed regularly, and the service responded flexibly when people’s needs changed. People received consistent care from familiar staff, which supported continuity and helped build trusting relationships. Information was shared clearly and in a timely way, and people and families knew how to raise concerns or provide feedback. Concerns were taken seriously and used to improve the service.

Leaders were visible, approachable and demonstrated a clear focus on safety, quality and person-centred care. Governance systems provided effective oversight of risks, incidents, safeguarding and quality. Learning from incidents, feedback and audits was used to drive improvement. Staff described a positive, open culture where they felt supported and encouraged to speak up. Families told us leaders were responsive and took action when concerns were raised.