18 September 2012
During a routine inspection
Staff spoken with said that Age UK- Sheffield Choice was a very good agency to work for. They told us that they received good support and training so that they could do their jobs well. Staff told us that they were always given information about people prior to providing support. Staff told us that they felt proud to work for Age UK-Sheffield Choice, and proud of the quality of care provided.
At the time of this inspection no people received support with personal care. The support provided by the agency was based around companionship and assisting with household tasks. During this inspection we telephoned three people that received support from Age UK- Sheffield Choice and spoke with them about their experiences of the support they received.
All of the people spoken with confirmed that they had been involved in discussing their support needs with the support planner from the agency. They told us that they had been introduced to their support worker before any support commenced.
People spoke positively about the support they received. They told us that their support workers knew them well and supported them in the way they chose and preferred. They said that staff were always polite and respectful. People's comments included; 'They (the support staff) are wonderful. They give me the help I need and I enjoy their company. They make a difference to me.' 'I have a good relationship with my main support worker. They take me out, or do craft work with me. They are an excellent service.' 'I have never had a missed call, they are very reliable.' People spoken with felt that staff were well trained and understood their needs. They all told us that they felt safe with their support workers.