The Village Care Group Limited

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered with us in November 2022. We reviewed all quality statements across the key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led at this assessment. Our overall rating for this service is requires improvement.

We gathered information from people who use the service, relatives, the registered manager, the provider, a care coordinator and care staff. We sought feedback from health and social care professionals and had feedback from 2.

At this assessment, we found 3 breaches of legal regulation, in safe staffing, safe care and treatment and good governance.

During our inspection we found improvements were needed to people’s care planning information and associated documentation, including medicines information, people’s risk assessments and where topical creams posed a flammable risk. Suitable checks were not being undertaken prior to staff being employed by the service and the provider was not ensuring employment documentation was being completed. We also found improvements were needed to staff training to ensure staff had suitable skills and knowledge to undertake their role. The provider’s quality assurance systems had identified shortfalls to the recruitment of staff and some staff training, however, we found the provider had no quality assurance system in place to identify improvements to people’s care planning documentation, or to staff employment documentation.

Although we found shortfalls during our inspection, feedback from people and relatives about the care and support provided to them was positive. All staff felt it was a nice place to work, and the support provided by the management of the service was good. Staff provided people with choice and control, and they provided care that respected their individual wishes. The registered manager had a diverse workforce, and they supported staff with a flexible approach to their individual needs although we were not always assured this was within employment law.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.