We carried out a review of the data available to us about Greenhurst Care on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Greenhurst Care, you can give feedback on this service.
The service mainly provides care and support for people at key times of the day to help people get up in the morning, go to bed at night and give support with meals. This includes supporting people with mobility and dementia care needs. At the time of this inspection 36 people were receiving a service. These services were mostly funded privately.
We carried out this announced inspection on 1 November 2017. The inspection was announced two days advance in accordance with the Care Quality Commission's current procedures for inspecting domiciliary care services. At the last comprehensive inspection on the 14 April 2015 the service was found to be meeting the requirements of the regulations. The rating of this service was Outstanding. At this service we found the service remains Outstanding.
People and their relatives told us they were extremely pleased with the care and support they received from Greenhurst Care. Comments from people included, “I would not want anyone else coming to me, they are all wonderful” and “Time keeping is excellent as is the communication between everyone involved in the care needs of my relative.”
People were treated with respect by staff. People were asked how they wished their care to be provided. Staff respected people’s wishes. For example, people were asked what they wished staff to prepare for their meal and what clothes they wished to wear. Some people were supported to go out each day in to the local area and were able to choose where they went on each trip.
Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse. Staff were confident about how to report any concerns and were confident that any allegations made would be fully investigated to help ensure people were protected. People received consistent support from care workers who knew them well. People felt safe and secure when receiving care. Comments included, “Staff are very well trained, especially in skills regarding safety, hygiene and looking after dementia clients” and “All staff have good communication skills.”
Greenhurst Care were fully staffed at the time of this inspection. Any short notice absences of staff were covered by existing staff. There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of people who used the service. The service was very flexible and responded quickly to people’s changing needs. Staff told us, “We are a small service, we just support people locally, so if someone is unable to come to work we can all run around to cover everything” and “The manager comes out too regularly to provide care and to support us.” People told us, “Time keeping is excellent, as is the communication between everyone involved in the care needs of my relative. We always discuss any changes to their condition and daily routine and I feel able to ask for advice as without exception, the Greenhurst carers show experience and expertise in caring for the elderly” and “They (management) have been very accommodating when we have asked, in advance, for care outside of usual planned visits.”
People received care from staff who had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs. There was a strong emphasis on key principles of care such as compassion, respect and dignity. People who used the service felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was always respected. People and their relatives spoke well of staff. Comments included,“I am confident that the carers are well trained and well supported by management who also visit my relative’s home frequently,” “Staff appear well trained and informed and communicate what they are doing in a caring manner,” “Staff are very well trained, especially in skills regarding safety, hygiene, looking after dementia clients” and “All staff have good communication skills.”
Staff knew the people they cared for very well and knew how to recognise if people’s needs changed. Staff were aware of people’s preferences and interests, as well as their health and support needs, which enabled them to provide a personalised service. Staff were kind and compassionate and treated people with dignity and respect.
The management and staff had a clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to make sure people who did not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves had their legal rights protected. The policy held by the service was in the process of being reviewed to take account of changes in the legislation and to include information for staff regarding the application to the Court of Protection for any restrictions in place on people in their own homes.
People had care plans held both at the office of the service and in their own homes. Care plans contained information to direct staff how to care for each person according to their needs and wishes. Regular reviews took place to ensure staff were aware of any changes in people’s care needs. Information about any changes were communicated to staff via text message or telephone call. People were fully involved in their own care plans.
Staff were recruited safely to help ensure they were suitable to work unsupervised with vulnerable people in their own homes. Staff received regular supervision meetings with senior management. Annual appraisals were also carried out. This provided staff with an opportunity to discuss any training needs or professional development needed.
Staff were happy working for Greenhurst Care. The registered manager and staff were clearly committed to providing a good service for people often going the extra mile for people who did not have anyone to assist them other than care staff. One relative told us,“We always discuss any changes to their condition and daily routine and I feel able to ask for advice as without exception the Greenhurst carers show experience and expertise in caring for the elderly, a recent incident illustrates this clearly. There was a blocked drain which caused a flood into the house. Fortunately a Greenhurst carer was at the house and immediately raised the alarm. The situation was handled calmly and efficiently. We realised that (person’s name) could not stay at home so Greenhurst helped and guided me with finding respite care.”
People received a service that was based on their personal needs and wishes. People spoke very highly about the management of Greenhurst Care, “The service is very well managed with communication from the office personnel by phone and email, we both feel very lucky to have found such a caring and responsive agency,” “They (management) issue the rota in good time and we are delighted that we have a small number of carers giving us continuity,” “Very well managed. You can see management's influence in all aspects from office management to staff selection and training” and “The management of this company is excellent too and quickly responds to queries and contact is made via email or phone, I feel fortunate I have Greenhurst Care to turn to” and “The service is very well managed with communication from the office personnel by phone and email, we both feel very lucky to have found such a caring and responsive agency.”
Staff were very highly motivated and proud of the service. They told us there was good communication with the management of the service. Comments included, “There is always someone at the end of the phone if you ever need anything” and “We are a very small company and we all know that we have each others backs always.”
The registered manager was very committed to continuous improvement and feedback from people, whether positive or negative, was used as an opportunity for improvement. The registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of effective quality assurance systems. The provider visited people in their homes regularly to check on their experiences of the service provided to them. A survey completed by people and their families was very positive about the care and support provided. The registered manager demonstrated strong values and a desire to learn about and implement best practice throughout the service. People, and their families where appropriate, were provided with information on how to raise any concerns they may have. The service had not had any concerns raised at the time of this inspection. Compliments were received from grateful and happy people and their families thanking the service for their kind care and support.
The inspection was announced and took place on 14 April 2015.
Greenhurst Care is a small family run domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support to older people in their own homes in Bognor Regis and its surrounding villages. People who receive a service include those living with physical frailty or memory loss due to the progression of age. At the time of this inspection the agency was providing a service to 31 people. Visits ranged from half an hour up to two and a half hours. The frequency of visits ranged from one visit per week to four visits per day depending on people’s individual needs.
During our inspection the registered manager was present. 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 feedback we received from people was excellent. Those people who used the service expressed great satisfaction and spoke very highly of the registered manager and staff. For example, one person said, “My neighbour recommended them, said they wouldn’t go to anyone else. Neither would I now I’ve had them!"
The safety of people who used the service was taken very seriously and the registered manager and staff were well aware of their responsibility to protect people’s health and wellbeing. There were systems in place to ensure that risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were identified and addressed.
The registered manager ensured that staff had a full understanding of people’s care needs and had the skills and knowledge to meet them. People received consistent support from care workers who knew them well. People felt safe and secure when receiving care.
People had positive relationships with their care workers and were confident in the service. There was a strong emphasis on key principles of care such as compassion, respect and dignity. People who used the service felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was always respected.
People received a service that was based on their personal needs and wishes. Changes in people’s needs were quickly identified and their care package amended to meet their changing needs. The service was flexible and responded very positively to people’s requests. People who used the service felt able to make requests and express their opinions and views.
The registered manager was very committed to continuous improvement and feedback from people, whether positive or negative, was used as an opportunity for improvement. The registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of effective quality assurance systems. There were processes in place to monitor quality and understand the experiences of people who used the service. The registered manager demonstrated strong values and a desire to learn about and implement best practice throughout the service.
Staff were very highly motivated and proud of the service. They said that they were fully supported by the registered manager and a programme of training and supervision that enabled them to provide a high quality service to people.