Home Counties Carers

Home Counties Carers provide personal care and support to older people and people with disabilities living in their own homes both as live in care and domiciliary care visits. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. At the time of our inspection all 48 people received personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Staff found ways to make sure people were at the heart of the care they provided. People were treated as individuals whose life and experiences mattered to the staff. The Provider and staff went out of their way to ensure that people and their relatives were comforted and looked after in a kind and compassionate manner and treated with dignity and respect.

People and relatives were at the centre of decision making about their care. People and their relatives placed great value on the friendships that they developed with staff. They felt that staff went beyond all expectations in the care that staff provided. Relatives fed back that using the services had a huge positive impact on theirs and their family member's lives. The service had a strong, visible person-centred culture and was exceptional at helping people to live their lives to the fullest.

People, their relatives and staff told us the provider and all of the senior staff were caring, friendly and approachable. The provider and senior management took a personal interest in people and staff and knew them well. The provider worked in partnership with people's families, the wider community and outside organisations to improve the care and support people received. The provider had systems in place which monitored health and safety and the quality of people's support. The systems were responsive and had led to changes being made. The provider was proactive with regard to how people's support could be improved.

People told us that they felt safe with staff. Staff understood risks to people's care and what they needed to do to reduce the risks of injuries to people. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people and what they needed to do if they suspected abuse. Before staff started work checks were undertaken to ensure that they were suitable.

There were sufficient numbers of staff employed at the service and systems were in place to ensure that there were no missed calls to people. People's medicines were managed in a safe way by staff. Staff followed best practice with regards to infection control.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Before staff started work, they received a detailed induction. Staff told us that they felt supported and that training at the service was effective. People told us that staff knew how to provide care and understood their needs. Training was continuous and staff competencies were reviewed regularly through spot checks and one to one meetings with their manager. People's opinions were sought in relation to how they wanted their care to be delivered.

People were supported with the meals that that they liked and in line with their dietary needs. Staff monitored people's health and liaised with relevant health care professionals to ensure people received the care and treatment they required. Staff worked within health care social care guidance. Regular reviews were undertaken and any changes to people's needs were actioned by staff. The provider had a clear and accessible complaints procedure.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was outstanding (published 25 October 2017)

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.

The overall rating for the service has remained outstanding based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Home Counties Carers on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Home Counties Carers is a domiciliary care agency providing both hourly and live-in support to people within their own homes. They provide companionship support, outreach and personal care. At the time of our inspection, there were 41 people receiving personal care.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider had a strong set of values for the service and had robust systems in place to ensure that staff embodied them in their work. People told us that staff routinely went beyond their expectations and provided them with care that was outside of their contracted hours. The provider encouraged and rewarded staff that found creative ways to make people’s lives better. The local community and the social care sector as a whole benefitted from the provider’s industrious approach to improving the standard of care people received. The provider was involved in a number of organisations and charities. Staff participated in university studies that had improved their practice, as well as improving social care in the area as a whole.

People told us that their nutritional needs were met by staff that were able to cook appetising and nutritious dishes. The provider found creative ways to develop staff knowledge and training. People told us that they were supported by competent staff who provided them with the support that they needed.

Staff routinely worked alongside healthcare professionals to meet people’s needs. People told us that staff advocated for them and provided them with information and advice that empowered them. The provider had developed important links with the wider community and the social care sector and was a source of information, advice and support to people. The provider had a keen interest in supporting people living with dementia and was finding innovative ways to tackle social isolation faced by older people in the local community.

Risks to people were routinely assessed with plans in place to manage them. The provider took steps to ensure people’s homes were secure when accessing them. Environmental risks, such as fire, were considered routinely as a part of assessments. People’s care needs were met in a person centred way. Staff carried out regular reviews to identify any changes in people’s needs. People were supported by staff that knew them well and understood the importance of promoting their independence.

People were supported by respectful staff that respected their privacy and dignity when providing them with support in their homes. Staff involved people in their care and demonstrated a passion and commitment to helping people.

People’s rights were protected because staff understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Staff regularly advocated for people and supported them through the correct legal process where they were not able to make decisions themselves. Complaints were documented and staff learnt from these. Where accidents or incidents occurred, action was taken to keep people safe.

People’s medicines were managed and administered safely, by trained staff. Staff training was delivered in creative ways that staff told us they both valued and benefitted from. Staff felt well supported by management and there were robust systems for communication between staff and the office. Staff suggestions were valued and encouraged by management.