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Archived: Help at Home (Syston)

1178 Melton Road, Syston, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE7 2HB (0116) 269 6247

Provided and run by:
Help At Home (Egerton Lodge) Limited

All Inspections

27 January and 4 February 2014

During a routine inspection

We visited the offices of the care agency as we were passed information of a concerning nature by a whistle-blower. We looked in detail at four people's care plans and contacted a further 60 and invited them to participate in the inspection process and sent them all a Care Quality Commission (CQC) questionnaire.

Not all of the people that responded were complimentary about the service. The main issue people told us about was the carers arriving late and leaving early. They also told us about the lack of consistency of care offered by different staff and carers not being well trained. People also told us that it was important to them that they had care at regular times.

People confirmed that they had been involved in decisions about their care and that care workers had treated most of them with respect. We also found that people are contacted by the agency to ascertain their level of satisfaction of the service provided.

Care staff were also supervised on a regular basis. This took place in people's homes when care was being provided.

31 January 2013

During a routine inspection

We visited the offices of this care agency which is based in a residential area of Syston. The service currently provides staff to undertake personal care, shopping and cleaning. Personal care is supplied by contract through social services or by direct payments. We looked at the quality assurance questionnaires that were circulated both to people using the service and their relatives. People were asked to comment if they were satisfied with the services provided, could add comments and return these anonymously if they wished. We also spoke to people using the service and their relatives by phone. People indicated they were happy with the range of services provided. A relative of a person using the service told us they were very happy with the service and stated 'The staff are fantastic, I don't know what I'd do without them.' Another said, 'They are late occasionally, that's to be expected with the traffic.'

When we spoke with staff they were aware how to support people and this reflected the support plans we viewed at the offices. We saw staff were subject to a secure recruitment process prior to commencing their employment. We also saw that staff are thoroughly trained to enable them to support the wide variety of peoples needs, all of which points to ensuring peoples' safety. We also saw where there are occasional follow up telephone calls to people using the service or their relatives, again to ascertain staff are working appropriately.

6 March 2012

During a routine inspection

We telephoned seven people to gather their thoughts of the service being provided. Six were receiving direct care from the service and one was a relative of a person receiving care. We were also able to talk to five support workers during our visit to the services' office.

People told us that they were satisfied with the care and support they were receiving. One person told us, 'I am satisfied, they do what I ask them to do and we have a nice chat when they're finished.' Another person told us, 'Providing I can keep the regular carers that I am currently getting, then I will be satisfied.'

We were told that people felt safe with the support workers who supported them. One person told us, 'I feel he is safe, I only leave him with one carer and she looks after him well.'

People told us that they were treated with respect and their care and support was provided in a dignified manner. One person explained, 'I am treated with respect, I would soon say something if I wasn't.'

Support workers told us how much they enjoyed working for the service. One support worker explained, 'I love it, I wish I'd done it years ago.' Another support worker told us, 'It's hard work sometimes, but it's worth it.'