Visiting Angels - South Middlesex Also known as Murray Moments T/A Visiting Angels

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

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and relatives felt staff were kind and caring when they provided support. A relative told us, “I would say they all are [kind and caring], and they are trying to build a nice relationship with [family member]. They are trying.”

The manager explained that specific staff were identified as dignity champions who provided support for other staff. The provider had developed information cards for staff which had a person’s 10 dignity rights in relation to health and social care.

Staff demonstrated they understood how to ensure a person’s dignity and privacy was respected when providing care. A staff member commented, “I ensure dignity privacy by closing doors and curtains and keeping the client covered during personal care.”

The manager told us they asked people if the staff who visited them were kind, caring and respected their dignity and privacy. This was monitored through reviews and spot checks on the care provided.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People and relatives said staff understood their care needs. A relative told us, “The carers are very friendly and very good at social engagement. We have the same carers so [family member] knows them. It’s all very good.”

People’s care plans identified the person’s preferences and wishes as to how their care should be provided. Care plans included information on family members and other people who were important to the person and were involved in their care.

The manager told us, whenever possible, they matched the personality of staff who would be providing care with the person. People were supported to identify which staff members they preferred to provide their care, so they felt there was a connection.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People and relatives confirmed they were involved in identifying and reviewing care needs, so current support needs were reflected. People’s care plans identified which aspects of their care they could complete independently and where they needed support from staff. People told us staff supported them to make choices about their care. Staff members said, “I listen to their concerns, offer choices about how their care is provided and always treat them with kindness and patience, making sure they feel comfortable, respected and value”, and “Putting them at the centre of their care and treating them in a respectful manner, treating them as I would wish to be treated.”

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff explained what actions they would take if they identified they had any concerns about the person they visited or if they noticed their care needs had changed. Staff member’s comments included “If I have any concerns I call the office, record in visit notes and raise a concern”, and “I may discuss it with the client to see if I could do anything better or differently. I would record it in the notes, inform my manager and discuss it with my colleagues at the next team meeting.”

The manager told us that when a change in a person’s support needs was identified by staff a care supervisor would visit the person to reassess their needs. The care plan and risk assessments would be reviewed and referrals to any health and social care professionals would be made to ensure the person had the support they required.

The provider had developed a system of contingency plans where actions were identified to ensure the person’s care was still provided if there was a lack of staff or issues with the weather.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The manager told us staff were supported through regular supervision and team meetings, with telephone check in calls with senior staff and manager. Staff had a development action plan which identified how they would like to develop their skills and role within the organisation. Staff could access a service to support with mental health and wellbeing including counselling and stress management.

The manager explained staff were recognised for their contribution and for positive feedback from people, relatives and other staff. There was a carer of the month award which was based upon people’s compliments and nominations from other staff. There was a quarterly award for staff based upon reliability and the quality of their work.

Other recognition schemes included having a paid day off for the staff member’s birthday and the anniversary of their starting to work for the provider was also commemorated. When staff completed their induction and started to provide care, they received a badge as a ‘qualified angel’. When each staff member reached a milestone number of hours of care provided, they were recognised as either a bronze, silver or gold angel status.

Staff members who used their cars as part of the support they provided for the people they visited received support with possible costs including a free car valet every 6 month.

Staff told us they felt supported by the senior staff. Their comments included, “I am so proud to work for this company, and I have worked in many care companies, but I have never been made to feel as appreciated as I do in this company. They value us as members of the team, and I couldn’t ask for better managers.”