Helping Hands Ellesmere Port

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated 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.

The provider fostered a deeply embedded culture of kindness, compassion and dignity, which was evident in every aspect of care. Staff consistently went above and beyond to meet people’s emotional and physical needs, demonstrating a level of empathy and attentiveness that exceeded expectations. People described their care as warm, respectful and emotionally uplifting, and strong, trusting relationships were clearly established. One person told us,” I have regular staff who are really lovely and get good continuity of care. The carers are all wonderful and always respect my privacy and make it a priority. They are really marvellous.”

Staff demonstrated remarkable sensitivity to emotional wellbeing. For example, when a person was new to the service and was extremely anxious about receiving care and support, the registered manager paired a very new and anxious member of staff with this person. The person supported and staff member have grown together in confidence.

Care was highly personalised, with staff consistently identifying creative ways to meet individual needs. In one example, a staff member recognised that a person’s clothes were getting marked from food and drink. They purchased a tabard to protect the person’s clothes. Another person had become more isolated due to a deterioration in their mobility, and a staff member supported them to attend church as their faith was very important to them. This reduced the person’s isolation.

Staff also showed outstanding commitment to promoting motivation and wellbeing. When a person was unable to shower due to wounds and was in very low mood and sad, staff supported the person to dressing clinic 3 times a week, working in partnership with the district nurses to improve skin health. They offered emotional support to the person reassuring them that their wounds were healing. They described the person getting a sparkle back in their eyes when the wounds were healed enough for a waterproof dressing and the person could enjoy a shower.

The service demonstrated openness to feedback and a strong commitment to dignity and independence. One person told us, “The staff knock and call out as they arrive. All the staff promote my independence wherever they can, allow me time and never rush me. I do as much as I can for myself. Whenever I have raised any concerns (nothing major) they have always dealt with it promptly.” Another person said, “On one occasion I didn’t want one of the carers, they hadn’t done anything wrong, the office staff immediately changed to a different staff member without any problem. I now have a wonderful group of carers who are all lovely. I enjoy their visits and they always treat me respectfully, encourage me to be independent where I can be and I never feel rushed.”

Relatives described carers as, “Very kind, reassuring and excellent with dignity,” particularly during moments of distress or vulnerability. The impact of these approaches was clear: people felt valued, safe and emotionally supported; anxiety was reduced; health and wellbeing improved; and relatives expressed exceptional confidence in the quality of care provided.

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.

The service demonstrated a consistently person‑centred approach, ensuring people were recognised as individuals and that their identity informed all aspects of care delivery. Care records contained a detailed personal identity section, which captured information relating to sexuality, religion and cultural background, and clearly described how these factors influenced people’s care and support needs. This enabled staff to provide care that was sensitive, respectful and aligned with what mattered most to each person.

Care plans reflected a holistic understanding of people’s lives. Comprehensive life histories documented individuals’ previous occupations, significant relationships and meaningful places, alongside regularly updated information about routines, preferences, dislikes, hobbies and interests. Staff continued to build this knowledge over time, ensuring records remained current and reflective of each person’s lived experience.

Staff demonstrated a strong ability to tailor care in response to people’s preferences and life histories. One relative described staff taking time to get to know their parent well including their likes and interests. They described this being particularly important as their parent is living with dementia. Staff play their favourite music which is familiar to them and they appear to enjoy.

The service actively promoted the involvement of relatives and those important to people. Staff recognised the value of these relationships and worked collaboratively with relatives to ensure care was inclusive and delivered as a shared process. People were supported to maintain and strengthen personal connections, which contributed positively to their wellbeing.

There was clear evidence of staff commitment to supporting people to pursue their interests and remain engaged in their community. One person was supported to meet their brother for lunch each week, ensuring their need to keep connected with their family continued to be met.

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

The provider demonstrated a clear and sustained commitment to promoting independence, choice and control, ensuring people remained central to all decisions about their care. Staff understood that people’s needs and preferences could change over time and offered flexible care arrangements, enabling individuals to adjust visit days and times in line with their evolving routines and lifestyles.

A culture of positive risk‑taking was evident across the service. This supported people to retain autonomy and make decisions that enhanced their quality of life. For example, several people were encouraged and supported to attend a Christmas carol concert organised by the provider, despite initially feeling unable to participate. All individuals attended and continued to speak positively about the experience for months afterwards, demonstrating the meaningful impact of this approach. One person told us, “My Christmas was wonderful as Helping Hands arranged a carol concert. All the managers and staff supported with transport. It was a lovely opportunity to sing along to carols; it was truly amazing.” A relative added, “My Mum enjoyed the carol concert that Helping Hands arranged”. We received many positive comments from everyone who attended.

Care records were highly personalised and clearly reflected people’s individual preferences, ensuring their views remained central to care planning and day‑to‑day support. Records included specific instructions such as “Please ask me if I would like an electric or wet shave” and “I like to have a shower on two or three days each week,” enabling staff to uphold and respect people’s daily choices. Additional detail was recorded about how individuals liked to dress, their preference for television or music during mealtimes, and the exact way they preferred their hot drinks to be prepared. This level of personal detail ensured staff were equipped to deliver care that was consistently tailored to each person’s unique needs and preferences.

People were actively involved in decisions about who supported them. The provider sought people’s views during assessments and ongoing reviews to ensure compatibility between staff and those receiving care. Choice was further promoted through accessible information. People and their relatives were offered the option of using an electronic application to view schedules and care information, while those who preferred not to use digital tools were provided with printed rotas and documentation as a reasonable adjustment.

Staff consistently respected and adapted to people’s preferred routines. They encouraged individuals to make everyday choices about clothing, meals and activities, reinforcing autonomy and control in daily life.

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 provider demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting people’s immediate needs, with equal focus placed on mental and physical wellbeing. Risk assessments were comprehensive and considered emotional health indicators, including changes in confidence and mood. Staff recorded detailed daily observations, including people’s whole presentation, and these were routinely reviewed by leaders through established auditing and monitoring processes. The electronic care system supported effective communication, enabling staff to share timely handovers and escalate concerns such as distress, discomfort or changes in behaviour.

Staff responded promptly and appropriately to emerging risks, ensuring people’s safety was consistently prioritised. Relatives told us the provider consistently responded promptly to emergencies and changing needs at short notice. One relative said, “I couldn’t have looked after my Mum without Helping Hands. I couldn’t have wished for more. I had a contact number 24 hours a day and they always responded to each situation positively. They acted flexibly, increasing visit times and frequency to ensure Mum always had care and support reflective of her needs at all times.”

Staff demonstrated vigilance and professional curiosity. Staff alerted the office and relatives when they identified any areas of concern or if people required a GP appointment. Staff were very observant and had picked up early signs of urinary track infection, concerns around swallowing and deterioration in mobility. Early intervention ensured people received timely support and were enabled to remain in their own home wherever possible.

Staff showed compassion and professionalism in highly sensitive situations. Staff described supporting a person to remain at home in accordance with their expressed wishes until the end of their life. A small group of staff worked in shifts around the clock to ensure the person received safe and appropriate care and support. They preserved the person’s dignity and ensured they were never left alone.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The service demonstrated a well‑established ethos that prioritised staff wellbeing, which leaders identified as essential to delivering effective, high‑quality care. Leaders spoke positively about the value they placed on their staff team and had a range of measures in place to support them.

The provider further promoted recognition and appreciation through award schemes.

Staff feedback was consistently positive. One staff member told us, “I really struggled following the death of one of my clients. I was offered emotional support along with other team members. I feel so well supported, way and above anywhere else I have ever worked.” Another staff member said, “I never feel like just a number, the office staff seem genuinely interested in my wellbeing. I don’t have a bad word to say about them.”

Staff told us that leaders recognised the importance of a work/life balance. They said, “We are asked in advance to cover additional work where office staff know there is going to be a shortage, we are never pressured. Even when we pick up extra work due to staff absence, we always have time to stay the full time with the people we support.”