A-Star Care Solutions-Main Office

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

This service scored 80 (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.

Relatives consistently described carers as kind, thoughtful, and compassionate. They told us staff treated people with respect and developed positive, caring relationships that went beyond meeting practical needs. One relative told us, “Carers were kind, respectful, and friendly. (Person) gets on well with all the carers and benefited from their company, not just their practical support. This helped (person) feel comfortable and well cared for.”

Relatives also spoke positively about the relationships formed between carers and families. One relative told us, “It’s a two way street, we treat them like family (carers) and they treat us like family.” Another relative commented that, “the standard of care... I think it is really impressive.”

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 provider took time to develop a thorough understanding of people’s current situations and personal histories. Assessments considered all aspects of people’s lives and what mattered most to them. Staff used this information to plan care and design personalised support packages that focused on engagement and making care a positive and meaningful experience. Families and care records showed staff consistently followed these plans to support people to maintain and improve their independence in ways that reflected their individual needs.

The provider allocated carers sufficient time to deliver care at a pace that suited each person. This enabled meaningful conversations and companionship, reduced anxiety, and promoted engagement. One carer told us, “I have plenty of time with clients, don’t feel visits are rushed, they are at least an hour long. I am not rushed at all.”

Families told us they also felt supported and included. One relative told us that the “Carers ask about my wellbeing and make sure I am satisfied with the care being provided.”

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

Daily care records showed staff followed people’s lead when delivering care. Records clearly evidenced consent, including gaining access to people’s homes, checking people were ready to receive support, and providing care at the person’s pace. Staff used gentle encouragement where appropriate to support people without undermining their independence. This was reflected in a discussion with a staff member who told us, “Most clients just want to be independent; they don’t want a carer doing everything. We will support them to independent have mobility, they want to stay at home and feel in control of their lives.”

The provider 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 responded effectively to people’s changing needs, including changes in physical health and emotional wellbeing. In some cases, the provider delivered care flexibly to reflect changes in people’s needs and home circumstances. Managers updated care plans promptly when changes were required and followed up to ensure support remained appropriate and effective. A relative told us the manager “Reviewed the care package and remained in contact to check whether the care continued to meet (person) needs.”

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

Staff told us they had enough time to support people and did not feel rushed. They spoke positively about the management team and said they felt well supported. One staff member told us, “A-Star are doing a good job, everyone is very friendly. I had no reason to leave and am happy working for the company.”

Managers held regular supervision sessions with staff. One staff member told us managers checked, “How I am feeling, any development, what they (managers) would like to see from me and what I want from them.” Staff also had access to an anonymous health and wellbeing service.

The organisation covered the costs of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, uniforms, and training. It held annual training days and offered financial incentives linked to positive feedback. Office staff could work flexibly when required. This supportive approach promoted a positive culture and strengthened caring attitudes across day‑to‑day practice.

Families recognised the impact of this supportive culture on care delivery. One family member told us that staff, “want to work hard for (manager), which makes a big difference as well. It shows that the staff are obviously looked after because they, they care and work hard”.