Storm Homecare 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 remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 85 (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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Feedback about staff and management was unanimously positive. People told us staff were always kind to them, and relatives spoke highly of staff’s interactions with their loved ones. One relative explained, “[Staff] keep asking how [relative] is when they are moving [them]. They ask [relative] if [they] need the toilet. They call [relative] by [their] name.”

Relatives said staff respected their loved one’s privacy, and dignity.

Staff had received training in dignity and respect. Care plans contained information about people’s life history and background so staff could better understand the person, their needs, wishes and preferences.

Staff told us there was a culture of support and kindness across the staff team, with one stating, “There's a genuine sense of teamwork and professionalism.” Another staff member explained, “I really enjoy looking after the individual I work with, staff and management. I have built a strong support network within my co-workers and management.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The management team made changes to people’s care packages to ensure their needs were consistently met. For example, a person had a diagnosis of dementia, and staff delivered their evening call at varying times throughout the year in line with sunset, to reduce any distress the person may experience during ‘sundowning’ (a set of behavioural changes that occur in the late afternoon or evening, often around dusk).

Another person used to enjoy having their nails done, but due to a decline in their health, was no longer able to attend their appointments. The management team sourced a home visiting nail technician, to ensure the person could still experience pampering treatments that were important to them.

People were actively encouraged and supported to continue to be individuals, despite having care needs. A relative told us, “[Staff] offer [relative] choices, what clothes [they] would like to wear, what colour lipstick. Staff put on [their] makeup, do [their] hair, [relative] has come on leaps and bounds since having Storm Homecare”

Staff told us they had access to information about the person and their care needs to ensure they had the correct information and guidance to deliver the support they required with their personal, cultural, or religious needs.

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

People had choice and control over the care they received. People could request female or male carers if they wished, or changes to the times of their care visits where applicable.

Where people received 24/7 care, staff explained that if the person was safe, they would go and sit in another room when family or friends came to visit to ensure the person had privacy and time to spend with visitors.

The registered manager was confident in the pre-assessment process and explained this was where they gathered the specific details, such as how a person liked their hair brushed or which flannels they liked to use when having a wash. They advised care plans were regularly reviewed to ensure any changes were updated quickly and efficiently.

At the time of the inspection, no one required empowering to enjoy intimate or sexual relationships. We recommend the provider consider this moving forward for people whose needs may change, or for new people who start receiving care and support from Storm Homecare.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. One person stated, “[Staff] ask me if I feel clean, they check that I am OK before they leave. They know what to do to respect my dignity.”

Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People received care from staff who knew them well. A relative said, “[Staff] can understand from [relative’s] facial expressions how [they are] feeling.”

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider embraced and valued their diverse workforce.

Staff feedback about the provider and management team was extremely positive. Everyone told us they felt supported and cared for. One staff member said, “I enjoy working with Storm because the leaders are very supportive, respectful, have good communication skills, treat people with dignity and equality, and are always ready to help with anything, be it work related or personal issues.” Another staff member told us, “All the staff and clients are so friendly, Storm Homecare treat the staff and clients well.”

Staff received regular training in all aspects of their role and had regular supervisions with the management team. This provided staff with the opportunity to feedback to the provider, and to request any additional training they felt they needed. All the staff we spoke to during this inspection told us they had all of the training they needed to safely care for people, and there was no other training they required at this time. A staff member stated, “I have learnt new skills and received a lot of training, which has made me feel confident in my role.”

Staff had a manageable workload, rotas were well-planned, and this meant staff were not asked to pick up extra calls at short notice. Rotas were arranged with staff, to meet their availability and respect their commitments outside of work. This has a positive impact on staff well-being. A staff member explained, “The office staff are very supportive, I have a happy work and home balance.”

Staff told us they felt valued by the provider, with a staff member stating, “They are a great company to work for, the management are understanding and listen to me. They take amazing care of their clients.”