AcreCare Limited

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.

We received positive feedback from families, friends and people who used the service. Everyone we spoke to said staff were extremely kind and cared for them with real empathy. Relatives told us, “We are incredibly happy with the carers and the entire company. They are bright, chirpy, nice, caring, genuine people.” And, “They treat [my relative] with patience and genuine kindness. It feels like they really care about him as a person, not just the tasks.”

People said, “I feel so very fortunate having them care for me.” And, “They make me feel comfortable and relaxed. They treat me kindly and with respect every visit.” The registered manager told us how they endeavoured to match carers to people, looking at their personalities and outlook on life, so that they would get on as friends.

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.

Staff understood the need to care for the individual and always ensured people had the care they needed in the way they wanted. People felt that the staff knew them well and said the care met their preferences. One person said, “They know my routine so well now that everything runs smoothly without me having to say a word.” Staff enjoyed being with people they cared for, a staff member told us, “We always chat as we go but if I had my way all calls would be an hour with chat time.”

One person said, “They adapt to how I’m feeling on the day, which makes a real difference.”

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

People received care in their own homes. Staff were aware of the need for people to have choice and manage their own lives. Staff told us, “We follow people’s lead, we always ask people [what they want]. We are in their homes, it’s a different environment, we chat, it’s more personal at a person’s home. We follow the care plan and people’s wishes.” Care plans were detailed and updated regularly if people changed their mind about care they required. A relative told us, “They adapt to her moods and needs without any fuss.”

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 were able to manage care for people with dementia and who could become distressed. Relatives told us how good staff were at managing people’s care in difficult situations and when people’s moods changed. A relative said, “If something changes, they sort it out quickly and keep me informed. They always seem to find a way to make things work, no matter what the challenge.”

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.

Staff were effusive with the praise of the manager and the way the service was run. They told us how the flexibility of the senior staff and the way they managed rotas and tasks enabled them to balance their work and home lives. A member of staff told us how the manager had changed her role within the team several times to enable her to continue to work through a progressive illness. This flexibility gave staff the confidence to request changes to their work schedules when needed and ensured they were always rested and keen to provide the best care. A staff member said, “I am happy with the company, this one is the best one I‘ve worked for.” Other staff told us how the registered manager ensured staff not only understood person centred care, but were given the right tools and time to enable them to provide it calmly and with confidence. A staff member said, “Person centred care means the person is the centre of what we are looking after, but we need the right team too. Everything we do is for the person we are seeing. We are not pushed. It’s not just ‘get in. get out’, we are not against the clock. It’s a good company. We make time for people one to one time is important for the client.” Relatives and people noticed the difference in the quality of care they received from happy staff. A person said, “The carers clearly work as part of a well-managed team, and that shows in the quality of care I get.”