Home Help Watford
- Home care
- Dementia care
- Registered since 2015
- Hertfordshire, East of England
Requires improvement
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
At a glance
4 ratings
Its last inspection moved it down from Good to Requires improvement.
This month
The latest rating was published.
26 of 188
rated home care services in Hertfordshire are rated Requires improvement, like this one.
Home Help Watford: inspection record
Rated Requires improvement in October 2026, down from Good.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: 1st Homecare Kings Langley (Good, 1.9 miles away) and Home Instead - Watford (Good, 2.2 miles away).
Nearest home care services:
- – Dream Care Consultants Ltd Not yet rated, 1.2 miles away
- G 1st Homecare Kings Langley Good, 1.9 miles away
- – Malakiun Care LTD Not yet rated, 2.1 miles away
- – Care Plus Recruitment Agency Limited Not yet rated, 2.2 miles away
- G Home Instead - Watford Good, 2.2 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 30 October 2026 (assessment visit 9 April 2026). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of assessment: 21 April 2026 and 27 July 2026
Home Help Watford is a care at home service providing support to adults of all ages, including people who may be living with dementia, have sensory impairment or physical disabilities. At the start of our assessment, the service was providing the regulated activity of personal care to 10 people.
- Safe No rating
- Effective Good
- Caring Good
- Responsive Good
- Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
This was a comprehensive assessment of all quality statements. We carried out this assessment due to the length of time since the previous assessment.
At our last inspection we rated the service Good (published 19 October 2019). At this assessment, the rating has changed to Requires Improvement and we found the provider was in breach of the legal regulation relating to governance.
There was a lack of effective leadership oversight and governance arrangements. The provider did not have robust systems of quality monitoring in place. There were not effective systems in place to ensure that audits were carried out, accurately and robustly, and that action was taken in response. However, since the inspection the nominated individual has confirmed action has been taken in response to our findings and driving better compliance.
Accurate care plans and associated risks assessments were not in place for all of people’s needs. Care records were not always reviewed or updated to reflect people's current needs and the care being provided. Risks were not always supported by appropriate risk assessments or clear guidance for staff.
Staff were not providing timely care to people. Staff did not always arrive to care visits on time or stay for the required duration. The provider analysed completed call data but were unaware of the shortfalls in care delivery we found.
Despite these concerns, people and their relatives consistently described staff as kind, respectful and supportive. People were supported by a consistent staff team. Staff received regular supervision and told us they felt supported in their roles.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
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Safe
No rating
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.
At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has changed to Requires Improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.
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Effective
Good
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.
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Caring
Good
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
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Responsive
Good
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.
-
Well-led
No rating
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has changed to Requires Improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to governance at the service.
Questions to ask the service
- Safe was rated Requires improvement on 30 October 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 30 October 2026. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
- Ask to see the most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what the service did about any points in it.
Registration details
- Registered manager
- Rudo Gray
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Domiciliary care service
- Who it supports
- Dementia, Older People, Physical Disability, Sensory Impairment, Younger Adults
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)3 inspection reports, latest 19 October 2019. Latest assessment published 30 October 2026; the Care Quality Commission's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports.
The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
- Provider
- Helping Hands Watford Ltd
- Ownership type
- Organisation
- Companies House number
- 06975373 (opens Companies House)
Getting help from Hertfordshire County Council
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at Hertfordshire County Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 0300 123 4042, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm (closed weekends and public holidays)
- Support for carers
- Care home fee rates published by the council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Home Help Watford provide nursing care?
- The Care Quality Commission's register does not list nursing care for Home Help Watford.
- When was Home Help Watford last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Home Help Watford was published on 30 October 2026.
- Who runs Home Help Watford?
- Home Help Watford is run by Helping Hands Watford Ltd.
- What is Home Help Watford's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 30 October 2026.
Contact
- Phone
- 01923 800100
- Address
- 5 Summerhouse Way, Abbots Langley, WD5 0DY Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: 1st Homecare Kings Langley (Good, 1.9 miles away) and Home Instead - Watford (Good, 2.2 miles away).
Nearest home care services:
- – Dream Care Consultants Ltd Not yet rated, 1.2 miles away
- G 1st Homecare Kings Langley Good, 1.9 miles away
- – Malakiun Care LTD Not yet rated, 2.1 miles away
- – Care Plus Recruitment Agency Limited Not yet rated, 2.2 miles away
- G Home Instead - Watford Good, 2.2 miles away