# Ascot Care Agency

*Operated by Mr Gareth Nesbit.*

Ascot Care Agency is a CQC-regulated home-care agency in Darlington.

## CQC Ratings

| Key question | Rating |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | Requires improvement |
| Safe | Requires improvement |
| Effective | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Well-led | Requires improvement |

Rating published: 25/08/2023

## Practical info

- Postcode: DL3 7NR
- Local authority: Darlington
- Region: North East
- City: Darlington
- Last CQC check: 25/Aug/2023 - 00:00

## Inspection findings

### Other

- Finding
  - Evidence: Effective partnership working with healthcare professionals.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Person-centred care delivery with consistent staffing teams where possible.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Positive culture with open-door management and strong staff support.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Accidents and incidents recorded, reviewed, and lessons shared with staff.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Robust infection prevention and control system with management spot checks.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Comprehensive induction with new staff shadowing experienced colleagues.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Sufficient staffing levels with people reporting staff did not rush and sometimes stayed over time.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Effective safeguarding systems in place with regular staff training and confident reporting.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Medicines were administered by trained staff with regularly checked competencies.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Evidence: Most people felt safe and comfortable when staff were supporting them, with no missed calls reported.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- **communication_with_families** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: People did not regularly receive rotas to inform them which staff would be visiting. A relative said, 'It would be nice if [my family member] had a rota so they knew who was coming.'
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- **record_keeping** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: Some care plans contained more information about people's likes, dislikes and preferences than others.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- **governance** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: No formal medicines audits were taking place. The provider's medicine policy described the audit procedure, but we were told by the manager these audits had not been conducted.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- **medication_management** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: Medicine records were not always completed correctly and this was not always identified by management checks...failure to identify errors had placed people at risk.
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- **care_planning** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: The provider had not always ensured risk assessments were in place for all identified risks. Some records did not set out enough information for staff about how to mitigate risks to people.
  - Published: 2023-08-25

### safe

- Finding
  - Learning lessons when things go wrong
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Preventing and controlling infection
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Staffing and recruitment
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuse
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Using medicines safely
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Assessing risk, safety monitoring and management
  - Published: 2023-08-25

### well_led

- Finding
  - Working in partnership with others
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candour
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering
  - Published: 2023-08-25
- Finding
  - Managers and staff being clear about their roles, quality performance, risks and regulatory requirements; Continuous learning and improving care
  - Published: 2023-08-25

## 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/1-572959151

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