A1 Quality Homecare Limited Eastbourne

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

People were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity. Staff knew people well and provided care in line with their needs and wishes. People told us that they felt treated like individuals, and they were given choice and control over their care. Staff supported people to be as independent as possible when it was safe to do so. Staff well-being was promoted, and they spoke positively about working for the service.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and their relatives were positive in their feedback regarding staff. Staff treated people with kindness and compassion. People told us, “Absolutely they treat me with respect, will often ask me how they can help and offer me cups of teas and tell me their names to make me feel comfortable”, and, “The main thing I am happy with is they treat me like a human being, and they treat me with respect and not just another client. They make my quality of life better.”

Staff understood the importance of treating people with respect and dignity. We spoke to over 20 members of staff who all demonstrated how they applied compassion and kindness to people. Examples of what staff told us: “Sometimes need to hold back and respect vulnerabilities. I have a difficult client who can be challenging in their behaviour in the mornings but then very apologetic at the lunchtime call,” “We are trained in respect and in cultural and religious needs. This is important,” “We protect people’s dignity. I’d close the curtains and toilet door even when a close family member is present” and “Respect and dignity – put their needs first. Ask their opinion, make the environment safe.” During the course of our visit to the office we heard conversations between staff and people and their relatives over the phone, all were conducted respectfully. Staff further demonstrated how they protected people’s dignity one telling us, “We protect people’s dignity. I’d close the curtains and toilet door even when a close family member is present.” A supervisor said, “Yes and this (respect and dignity) is included in spot checks. I always get there before carer arrives. Saw a good one yesterday where they came in said hello and then closed blinds for privacy. Then asked politely about changing their pad. I was really pleased with them.’

External professionals spoke positively about staff and the kindness and compassion they showed to people. They stated that all staff, from those in the office, through to those out providing support in people’s home, upheld people’s dignity. One professional told us, “The office staff are very kind. I had the opportunity to meet with one of the carers on a visit I attended, and I found them to be kind, caring and compassionate.”

People and their relatives spoke positively about the approach of staff and the way they treated people with respect and as individuals. We were given examples of people’s protected characteristics being respected and how staff took time to build rapport with people. A person told us, “The staff are exceptional, made very good relationships with some of them. They are very caring and very approachable. They make me so comfortable, never feel anxious about ringing the office.”

Staff understood the importance of treating people as individuals, for example, one staff member talked about some people choosing to live as a different gender to what they were born as. They said, “We encourage and support people to live the life they want. We never judge people about anything.” The registered manager told us about a person who got on better with staff who were from their own cultural background. This position was supported. Others had communication needs some where English was not their first language and others who, due to medical issues, had difficulty in communicating. People were supported with communication aids so they were able to express their views and needs the same as others.

People’s needs and personal preferences were at the centre of care planning and decision making about how best to support people to achieve the best outcomes. All of this detail was recorded in care plans and was subject to regular reviews.

People were enabled to have choice and control in the lives and daily decisions. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible, where it was safe to do so. A person told us, “Yes, able to make my own choices and staff help and let me decide what meals I want to have.” Another said, “I have a tumble-dryer high up so I can dry my own laundry and the carers respect me to do that myself and if I tell the carers I am able to do something they let me do it to stay independent where I can, but they always keep me safe.”

Staff understood the importance of maintaining people’s independence and safely encouraging them to perform some tasks for themselves. Staff told us, “Yes, don’t want them to lose their independence. Talk with them, make sure they can do it but there to support if needed, then we step in. Make sure they are part of it,” and “Person washes face but not doing it properly. Always encourage and let them do what they can. Also eating, can sometimes make a mess but rather than take over just place a cloth under chin to help them.” Staff told us they offered people choices with their daily routines including, what clothes to wear, how they would like to wash and what food and drink they wanted. Staff told us people were in control of the care calls and the support given. For example a member of staff told us about a person who moved very slowly and that over time it was taking longer to perform the tasks needed to support them. By allowing the person more time it maintained their independence with certain tasks and the staff member advised their supervisor so that the call times could be extended.

Care plans described the tasks that people could achieve for themselves along with the support needed from staff. Car plans were person centred and promoted people’s independence focussing first on what they could achieve themselves

People felt that staff were responsive to their immediate needs. People told us that they were able to address any issues with staff and actions were taken if needed. A person told us, “The only issue I’ve had is initially I had male carers, and I don’t relate well to men so requested women carers and they said yes and its worked very well.” A relative said, “[Person] prefers male carers and they were quick to change this.” Another comment was, “They are really responsive and her carer is a great guy, he is lovely and always goes over and beyond what is needed.”

The registered manager told us that there was a process in place for when care calls were unexpectedly delayed. Staff would call the person first to advise of the delay and then call the office so that steps could be taken to cover the call. In most cases this system worked well as the service had a large number of staff some of whom could be diverted in an emergency to cover other calls. Staff told us that they had enough time between care calls and that they were never rushed. A staff member said, “Each call we have specific tasks and we always have time to do them. I would call in if client needs more time. It’s never been an issue.” Staff were given their weekly rotas a week in advance. In most cases staff had regular people that they supported. During the office visit a member of staff attended to speak to a manager about a skin tear they had discovered on their last visit. This was immediately picked up and appropriately referred to a district nurse.

All staff told us they felt well supported and valued by the management team. Staff told they were supported professionally at work but also on a personal level. Staff were given some flexible working hours to enable work life balance. For example, One staff member starts later as they have a long journey to work. Another was allowed certain breaks to enable them to work round picking up their children from school. Another staff member told us how the Agency had supported and been very kind through their illness. Another talked of the support given following a recent family bereavement. One staff member had just complete an appraisal with a manager. She said it had been used in a very positive -It had made her feel proud of herself she told us she had been told that ‘she was an asset to the company’ it made her feel ‘proud’ saying, It’s so nice to be appreciated.” Staff were paid for travel and were provided with a uniform.

Staff were aware of the whistleblowing policy and told us they were confident to use it if needed. A recent quality monitoring process carried out by the registered manager identified several back to back calls. This was putting pressure on staff and resulting in some calls being late and complaints being made by people. Timetables re-worked to ensure time between all calls. There were over 100 staff and leave rotas were managed well with no complaints from the staff we spoke with about getting time off – including in at least two cases where staff needed short notice leave due to family crisis. Staff had a voice and could raise any concerns or issues either during regularly held supervision meetings or through staff meetings. If staff missed a staff meeting they were encouraged to contribute by sending in an e-mail.