Acacia Homecare Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 71 (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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People told us they received person-centred care in line with their needs and preferences. Their comments included, “I have had the carers for one month and they are friendly, helpful and considerate” and “They are all lovely, but sometimes I struggle to understand their accents.” This was fed back to the provider. Relatives added, “They will ask what [family member] wants to wear and what [they] want to eat”, “[Staff member] is really supportive and if I raise something by email, [they] will respond within 15 minutes, things happen in life, but they seem to sort it out” and “I’m not frightened to ring the office if there is a problem and they are responsive.”

The whole staff team was dedicated to meeting people’s needs and enriching their lives as much as they could. A care worker told us, “I enjoy my role and always aim to provide safe, compassionate, person-centred care. I am committed to continuing my learning and supporting people to maintain their dignity, independence, and well-being.” A healthcare professional stated, “Based on my observations of their approach, training culture, and attention to detail, I am confident that they effectively meet the needs of the individuals in their care, including those related to personal care.”

Care plans were written in a person-centred way which included details about the person and their individual needs and wishes.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

People told us they received good care, and their healthcare needs were met and relatives echoed this. There were regular reviews organised to help ensure any changes to people’s needs or wishes was discussed and care adjusted to meet their needs.

People’s care plans described their healthcare needs and how to meet these. For example, if a person was living with a chronic health condition, there were clear instructions for staff to follow, so they could anticipate the person becoming unwell and take appropriate action.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People’s communication needs were sought during the pre-admission assessment so information could be made available to them in a format that suited them. People were provided with information about the service, what to expect and relevant contact details if they needed to get in touch at any time they had a query or a concern.

People's care plans detailed their preferences and any aids they needed to support effective communication.

People and relatives told us communication was effective, and they were provided with all the information they needed.

Staff understood the importance of ensuring people had information that met their preferences and in a way they understood.

People were listened to and involved in the planning and delivery of their care. They had the opportunity to discuss any wishes they may have. There were regular care reviews where people could discuss their needs and any changes necessary.

Complaints were listened to and addressed appropriately. People told us they knew how to make a complaint and felt this would be taken seriously. One person told us, “There have been a couple [of care workers] who have been useless and I have told the office, and they have never sent them back.” A relative added, “The only time we have had to raise something is when one of the carers spent a lot of time outside smoking, this was responded to quickly and [they were] not employed by the agency again.”

People were given guidebook when they started using the agency, and this contained the complaints policy. The registered manager told us, “They can email us with any concerns and we will deal with this. A customer can put this message in the app and it will come straight to us.”

People were involved in 3-monthly care plans reviews. These took place either by telephone or email to check if everything was ok, or if any changes were needed. Then every 6 months, senior staff undertook a visit to do a full review of each person’s care needs.

People were given opportunities to provide feedback about their experience of the care they received. This included completing a quality assurance questionnaire after the first month to comment about their experience of the assessment process. The registered manager added, “They complete a three-monthly quality assurance questionnaire about the quality of care received. Any issues raised are then immediately responded to.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People told us they had access to the care and support they required and were happy with this. Relatives stated they felt their family members’ needs were met because the staff cared and monitored them closely.

People were supported to access the community if this was part of their agreed care package. For example, some people were escorted to day centres or other places of interest. The agency had links with the National Trust, so if a person wished to go to for a visit, this was arranged for them to go with the care worker for free.

The team reached out to the local community to inform the public about social care and answer any questions they might have. The registered manager told us, “We visit a local café, once a month, make ourselves available for people to ask questions about the care, and share information about what we do, and supporting people in the community. For example, our dementia ambassador will provide information to people who need it.” They added, “We go to a local village hall where a number of professionals go and provide support. People can drop by to ask questions and request support.”

The team, including the dementia ambassador, had also visited a local care home and delivered sessions about dementia care to relatives. The dementia ambassador also provided monthly national virtual meetings with the Alzheimer Society. The service also took part in ‘Staines dementia awareness street day’ and a local annual community street festival.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. People told us they were consulted in relation to their cultural and spiritual needs.

The provider had an equality and diversity policy in place and was committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all people and staff, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

People’s care plans indicated they had been consulted in decision making, including whether they preferred to receive care from a male or female care worker. Their care plans reflected people’s physical, mental, emotional and social needs.

The provider and staff ensured people’s wellbeing was taken seriously. The registered manager told us, “One person has a 2-hour call per week specifically for company, do quizzes, listen to music, do crafts or go out with them. The care worker comes up with ideas, and these are discussed with the person.”

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. However, this information was held within people’s care plans rather than separate documents, which meant the staff may not access this information easily, so they could provide the support people wished for.

The registered manager showed us an advanced care plan template they planned to use as soon as possible following consultation with people and relatives.

Staff received training in end-of-life care during their induction and their completion of the Care Certificate. This a set of 16 introductory standards that health and social care workers must complete as part of their induction.