Careline Homecare (Newcastle)

Date of assessment: 12 February to 17 March 2025. The service is a care at home service providing support to older people and younger adults. At the time of inspection there were 136 people receiving the regulated activity. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects 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. This was an announced inspection. A registered manager was in post. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the service, management and people they cared for. People were treated with kindness and compassion. There were sufficient trained staff who worked well with other professionals to ensure people's needs were met. Although most people and relatives told us they received timely and consistent care from staff they knew, some improvements were needed to the roster management system to ensure all people experienced the same continuity of care. Risks to people had been assessed and information was available to help mitigate risks as far as possible. However, improvements were needed to care records, to ensure they provided detailed guidance for staff to deliver consistent and person-centred care. Medicines were not always managed safely. Improvements were needed to medicine records and to some medicine assessments and support plans. Staff made sure people understood and were involved in decisions about their care and treatment. Staff and leaders demonstrated a listening culture and were open to learning and improvements. A governance system was in place. However, it needed to be more effective with more frequent audits, to ensure and maintain the quality and safety of service provision.