Companions in Care

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

This service scored 75 (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 respectedtheir privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness andrespect.

The feedback we received about the care provided was positive. One relative said, “They have been great and we’ve never had any issues. The staff are very good with (person).” Another relative added, “Honestly I can’t fault them.”

Families told us people were always treated with dignity and respect when staff were delivering their care. One relative said, “Definitely. When they are supporting (person) either to get changed or have a shower, they are always very patient.” Another relative said, “Yes 100%, doors and curtains are always closed.”

The provider treated people as individuals and ensured care, support and treatment reflected their specific needs and preferences.

The provider ensured care plans were tailored to the individual needs and preferences of each person, taking into account their cultural, religious, and spiritual requirements. Care plans were reviewed with people and, where appropriate, their families to ensure they remained accurate and reflective of current needs.

Care plans contained ‘Service user profiles’ with details about people’s personal lives and their families.

Staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, support and wellbeing. This helped enable people to remain in their own homes where possible.

Care plans provided details about things people were able to do for themselves, and families told us staff promoted people’s independence where possible. One relative said, “They have a lot of patience with (person) and give them plenty of time to do things if they can.”

Staff understood about how to ensure people’s independence was promoted. One member of staff said, “I feel this is a very important area and I encourage people as much as possible to do things for themselves.”

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 ensured staffing levels remained safe and responsive by allowing flexibility within visit times, enabling care staff to extend visits where necessary. For example, if a person became unwell or distressed, carers were supported to remain beyond their scheduled time and promptly informed the office so additional support could be arranged. This approach was demonstrated in practice, with carers staying longer during visits to ensure people received the reassurance and care they needed.

The provider told us they had plans in place to manage any declines in health people may experience.

The provider supported staff wellbeing, which enabled staff to deliver caring, person‑centred support.

The provider ensured staff were supported through the provision of a staff handbook, regular supervisions, and wellbeing check-ins. However, appraisals were not being carried out at the time of the inspection, although we spoke with the provider about implementing these to ensure staff had the opportunity to receive feedback about their annual performance.

Flexible working arrangements were offered to promote a healthy work–life balance. The provider encouraged staff to be open and transparent about any stresses or anxieties, fostering a supportive and inclusive working environment.

Where appropriate, staff were signposted to external support services, such as local talking therapies and GPs, to ensure their wellbeing needs were effectively addressed. A member of staff said, “There is an open-door policy, and we can always speak with the manager.”