Albury Care 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 changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Without exception the feedback from people and relatives about the care staff was extremely positive. Comments included, “The carers are so good, I want to give them a glowing report, I would give them 10 out of 10”, “They [staff] are excellent, they are very good, always on time” and “They [staff] look after [person] really well and do an excellent job.”

People and relatives told us staff were always respectful and had patience when supporting people. Comments from people and relatives about staff approach included, “They [staff] are polite, respectful and professional. I have no complaints” and “They are very patient with [person] and don’t push them to do things if [person] doesn’t want to do something.”

People’s care records contained information about people’s life history. This helped the care staff to get to know and understand people’s needs. This was really important for staff supporting people with dementia. It helped staff to understand people who were not always able to communicate their needs.

Feedback from professionals was that leaders and staff were caring and respectful when working alongside them. One healthcare professional told us, “They are always extremely helpful when I arrange visits, and their communication with professionals is excellent. If any issues arise with equipment, they notify me promptly.”

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’s individual needs were recorded in their care plans and known by experienced and well-trained staff. The registered manager said they took time to match care staff to people which helped make sure care packages were successful. One relative said, “They are not a 1 size fits all organisation. They tailor things to suit [person] and speak with them as an equal.”

Where people’s needs were complex, leaders went with staff on the first visit to make sure things were safe. The registered manager said, “A more complex case, we will go with the carer on the first day and start with a longer visit. You need to get to know people, get to know the house and where things are.”

Reviews of people’s needs were regular which enabled the service to adjust care packages to meet people’s preferences. The registered manager shared an example of how a care package had been reduced as people’s needs were being met in a shorter time frame.

People’s religious needs were recorded and staff provided support to access church services. This had been by supporting people to attend a church or accessing online services.

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

People said they were encouraged to maintain their independence and tried to do as much as they could for themselves. They knew staff would support them if they needed help. Staff told us they always encouraged people to maintain skills to keep as independent as possible. One member of staff told us, “I support clients to maintain their independence, encouraging them to do as much as they can manage to do for themselves.I encourage clients to take part in meal preparation, do what they can do, and this will promote and boost their confidence.”

People had choices in day-to-day aspects of their lives. It was very clear in people’s care plans the importance of asking people what they wanted to do or supporting people to make their own decisions.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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.

The service was exceptional in matching staff to people which meant people were supported by consistent staff who knew and understood people’s needs, wishes and preferences. This helped to minimise people’s anxieties or distress. The registered manager told us they spent time getting this right for people from the start. They said, “We match the carers to the clients by character. This is so important and we try to make sure it is the right carer with the same temperaments.” Leaders took time to respond to any concerns about the matching process and find out what people needed. One relative said, “Albury Care are a lovely team. The team is diverse, but they have taken note of my feedback and match [person] to staff [person] gets on with. [Person] refers to the staff as friends rather than carers.” Another relative said, “The staff are well trained and some of them have had 20 years’ experience. They have matched the carers very well with [person].”

People and relatives told us the service was very proactive and responded well to any situation, concern or distress. Comments from people and relatives included, “They [staff] are very proactive and monitor the care package very well” and “They [staff] have good attention to details. They are quick to flag things up if [person] is not well for example. I am so grateful to the carers as [person] may not have made it if they had not been so responsive.”

People said the registered manager was very easy to get hold of which meant any concern or query was responded to in a timely way. People and relatives trusted leaders and staff to provide them with an exceptional service which was based on trust. One relative said, “I can be open and honest with [registered manager] they are easy to get in touch with.”

Staff shared examples of how they had responded to people’s distress and provided people with opportunities for comfort. One member of staff told us of support they had provided to a person recently bereaved. They said, said, “[Person] was feeling very lost and withdrawn.I took the time to chat in depth with [person]. I found they had always enjoyed spending time in the garden but hadn’t been able to due to lack of confidence and mobility issues.” Leaders reviewed the person’s care package and added spending time in the garden with staff support. Staff reported back to leaders that this activity had made a big difference to the person’s mood and wellbeing.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Feedback from people, relatives and professionals confirmed the service was consistently providing high quality care that met people’s needs.

The registered manager said they had very effective systems to make sure staff were supported and wellbeing was discussed. There were processes such as supervisions, annual appraisals and regular staff meetings. Without exception all staff told us they felt extremely well supported and all very much enjoyed their work. One member of staff told us, “I enjoy working for Albury Care.I get thebest support, and it makes my work easier and enjoyable.The Manager is a good listener and responds promptly when contacted about anything. Social gatherings for carers are organised offering space for recharge and sharing experiences It’s good for our wellbeing.”

Leaders were described by staff as very approachable and staff said they could visit the office whenever they needed to. One member of staff said, “I know the registered manager and management team well and find them approachable, supportive and understanding.”

If staff needed support the service offered flexibility with working patterns and leaders were described as compassionate when responding to staff. If staff had changes in their personal circumstances this was respected and solutions to issues were discussed and agreed which enabled staff to continue to work. Staff shared many examples of kind and compassionate support provided by management whilst they faced personal difficulties. Comments from the staff included, “When I was going through a difficult time my manager was very understanding and compassionate, providing support and allowing me time off to manage personal circumstances. This made a significant difference during a stressful period and showed me that staff wellbeing is valued” and “I am aware that support is available for staff wellbeing and I can speak with my manager. The management team encourages an open and respectful culture where everyone feels valued and included.”

There was a staff recognition award where staff had a small reward for their work. Regular staff surveys were completed to check in on how staff were feeling. Surveys recently completed demonstrated staff were very happy with their working conditions.

The provider used an external human resource (HR) organisation to help them with employee support. The registered manager said they could seek professional advice and guidance on a range of HR matters.