Northampton care service remains ‘inadequate’ and in special measures after continued ‘high level of concern’ reported to watchdog
A Northampton care service, which was initially rated inadequate and placed in special measures last year, has failed to achieve an improved rating following another inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Vogue Future Living Limited, based in Northampton, which provides personal care to people living in their own homes, was inspected between February and April this year, after the CQC “continued to receive a high level of concerns in relation to the provider, from staff and stakeholders”, after the last inspection in July and August 2025.
Following this year’s inspection, in which inspectors visited clients in their homes and spoke to relatives and staff, the service was found to be in breach of five legal regulations. It has also maintained its inadequate rating and continues to be in special measures. Inspectors said the provider “had not addressed many of the concerns raised in the warning notices” issued in September last year.
Vogue Future Living told the Chronicle & Echo that it is formally challenging the CQC findings and that “care, safety and wellbeing” remain its “highest priority”.
In the CQC report published on Friday June 19, inspectors said: “People’s needs were not effectively assessed, and risk was not effectively managed. Staff had not received all the appropriate training to support people effectively; care plans and risk assessments did not contain enough detail for staff to safely mitigate risks such as risk of falls and epilepsy.
“We found that staff recently recruited to the service had not been properly and safely vetted prior to their employment.
“We found that some staff were working excessive hours with little or no breaks in between. For example, we saw that one staff member had worked a 31-hour shift, which included a waking night.
“We were not assured by the end of our assessment that the provider or managers were equipped to make the necessary changes to rectify our concerns. The provider employed a new manager who had not been in their post for long prior to our assessment.”
Inspectors said feedback from clients was “mixed, but generally negative”. People and relatives raised concerns about not being involved in care planning or assessing risks and some raised concerns about not “always feeling like they had a choice”.
As the service is in special measures, the CQC will use enforcement powers and provide a timeframe within which the provider “must improve the quality of care they provide”.
A spokesperson for the supported living care company said: “Vogue Future Living is currently engaged in formally challenging the CQC findings and is working with the regulator through the appropriate review processes. While these proceedings are ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment in detail on specific aspects of the report.
“What we can emphasise is that the care, safety, and wellbeing of the individuals we support remain our highest priority. We continue to work closely with families, commissioners, staff, and other stakeholders to ensure that those in our care receive safe, high-quality, and person-centred support that promotes independence, choice, and positive outcomes.
“We are committed to continuous improvement and to maintaining open and transparent relationships with all parties involved. Our ongoing focus is to deliver the highest standard of care for the individuals who rely on our services every day.”