Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire
- Home care
- Dementia care
- Registered since 2020
- Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, South East
No overall rating
No overall rating: this location offers more than one kind of service, so the CQC rates each service separately.
At a glance
1 rating
Only one rating on record, so there is no trend to show yet.
8 months
since the latest rating was published.
89%
of rated home care services in Oxfordshire are Good or Outstanding (87% across the South East, 88% across England).
Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire: inspection record
This service has no overall rating at present. The squares show its earlier ratings.
| 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: Flexi Direct Ltd (Good, less than 0.1 miles away) and Thera South Midlands (Good, less than 0.1 miles away).
Nearest home care services:
- RI BBC Care Service Limited - Oxford Branch Requires improvement, less than 0.1 miles away
- G Flexi Direct Ltd Good, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Jasmine Quality Care Services Ltd Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Safetynet Care Oxford Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Samteck Care Solutions Limited Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 17 February 2026 (assessment visit 30 December 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of assessment: 29 December 2025 and 26 January 2026. We carried out this assessment remotely, we did not visit the office location, however we did meet with the registered manager via a video call. Direct Link Care Ltd – Oxfordshire is a homecare service providing the regulated activities of personal care and treatment of disease, disorder or injury to people living in their own homes. 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.
- Safe No rating
- Effective Good
- Caring Good
- Responsive Good
- Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
At the time of our inspection there were 140 people receiving personal care supported by the service.
The overall rating at this assessment is requires improvement. We identified 3 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, good governance and ensuring the CQC were notified of all events the provider was legally required to do so. There was lack of recording to ensure people were protected if they lacked mental capacity. There was a lack of consistent oversight of the service and auditing processes were not always effective in identifying shortfalls. Medicines and their related records were not routinely managed in line with national guidance. Risks relating to people’s health, safety and welfare were in place, but they were not always robust, and some key areas had not been assessed.
There was a registered manager in post. The provider worked with local authorities and continuing healthcare who commissioned their services, they also supported people who had paid for their care privately.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. The provider supported staff wellbeing.
The provider supported a small number of people with a learning disability or autistic people. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. People and staff with protected characteristics felt supported. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities.
We found the provider and registered manager responsive to our feedback throughout the course of the inspection.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
-
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.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment in respect of the management of risk and records relating to medicines.
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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 2 legal regulations in relation to governance at the service, in the way records were managed and a lack of effective auditing. In addition, the provider failed to notify The Commission of events it was legally required to do so.
Questions to ask the service
- Ask to see the most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what the service did about any points in it.
- Ask how visit times are agreed and who covers when your usual carer is away.
Registration details
- Registered manager
- Patience Ndebele
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Domiciliary care service, Supported living service
- Who it supports
- Children 0-18 years, Dementia, Learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, Mental Health, Older People, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)1 inspection report, latest 30 April 2022. Latest assessment published 17 February 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
- Direct Link Care Ltd
- Ownership type
- Organisation
- Companies House number
- 08517413 (opens Companies House)
Getting help from Oxfordshire 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 Oxfordshire County Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 01865 519800, Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4pm
- Contact adult social care online
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: Oxfordshire County Council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire provide nursing care?
- The Care Quality Commission's register does not list nursing care for Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire.
- When was Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire was published on 17 February 2026.
- Who runs Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire?
- Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire is run by Direct Link Care Ltd.
- What is Direct Link Care Ltd - Oxfordshire's CQC rating?
- No overall rating: this location offers more than one kind of service, so the CQC rates each service separately.
Contact
- Phone
- 01865 338111
- Address
- Regis, John Eccles House, Robert Robinson Avenue, Oxford, OX4 4GP Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Flexi Direct Ltd (Good, less than 0.1 miles away) and Thera South Midlands (Good, less than 0.1 miles away).
Nearest home care services:
- RI BBC Care Service Limited - Oxford Branch Requires improvement, less than 0.1 miles away
- G Flexi Direct Ltd Good, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Jasmine Quality Care Services Ltd Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Safetynet Care Oxford Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away
- – Samteck Care Solutions Limited Not yet rated, less than 0.1 miles away