# Hales Group Limited - Ipswich

*Operated by Hales Group Limited.*

Hales Group Limited - Ipswich is a CQC-regulated home-care agency in Ipswich.

## CQC Ratings

| Key question | Rating |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | Not Rated |
| Safe | Not Rated |
| Effective | Not Rated |
| Caring | Not Rated |
| Responsive | Not Rated |
| Well-led | Not Rated |

## Practical info

- Postcode: IP5 3RF
- Registered manager: Mildren, Kelly-Marie
- Local authority: Suffolk
- Region: East
- City: Ipswich
- Last CQC check: 10/Dec/2025 - 00:00

## Inspection findings

### Other

- Finding
  - Evidence: A duty of candour policy was in place and understood, with evidence of its application.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: The management team had identified shortfalls and had an action plan in place to address them.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: People and relatives gave positive feedback about their regular care workers, describing them as caring and marvellous.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: Safeguarding referrals were made appropriately when concerns were identified.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: Medicine administration record audits were undertaken and actions taken where discrepancies were identified.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: The service had systems to learn lessons from complaints and incidents, including a quarterly lessons learned log.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- Finding
  - Evidence: Care workers were recruited safely, including up-to-date DBS checks.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **leadership** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. The previous registered manager deregistered on 5 December 2022.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **communication_with_families** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: Some people and relatives told us they did not receive a rota so were not sure when their care visits were to be and by whom. One person said, 'I just have to lie here and wait.'
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **person_centred_care** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: We identified from a person's daily notes that they had been supported by care workers on one visit, which was not dignified or demonstrated the person was being listened to.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **infection_control** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: we received feedback from some people that care workers did not always wear aprons...Spot checks on staff had not been kept up to date to ensure staff were practicing good infection control.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **medication_management** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: changes in people's medicines were not always uploaded onto the electronic system...one relative told us their family member had been given their medicines twice.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **supervision_appraisal** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: The system for monitoring and supporting staff had not been kept up to date. This included supervisions, spot checks and competency checks.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **governance** _(critical)_
  - Evidence: Systems were not robust to assess, monitor and mitigate risks to the health, safety and welfare of people using the service. This placed people at risk of harm.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **staff_competency** _(critical)_
  - Evidence: Competency checks and observations on care workers during their usual work practice had not been kept up to date to ensure care workers were supporting people safely.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **staffing_levels** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: I do not feel that there are enough care workers. There are far too many calls put on a carer and in my opinion, given an impossible task to get round to everyone.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **missed_or_late_visits** _(critical)_
  - Evidence: care workers were logged in to more than one person's home at the same time...people had their lunch visit between one and two hours after their morning visit.
  - Published: 2024-01-12
- **care_planning** _(critical)_
  - Evidence: People's care plans and risk assessments included information of how staff were to support people safely. However, these had not been kept up to date.
  - Published: 2024-01-12

## Source

Data published by the [Care Quality Commission](https://www.cqc.org.uk/) under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canonical page: https://homecarecompass.co.uk/agency/1-1627226792

HomeCare Compass is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the CQC.