Craven Home 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.

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 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 respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and relatives were very positive about the kindness shown by staff, and confirmed support was never rushed or task led. A person using the service told us, “[Staff] put me at ease and make me laugh. They know my interests so (support) feels nice and personal to me.” A relative added, “[Staff] are here for an hour, they will wash [person] then will sit and chat or play dominoes with them which they love. It puts [person] in a good mood for the rest of the day.”

A person gave examples of how their dignity was protected; staff would knock on their bedroom door; make sure they were covered up following personal care and ask if they wanted the curtains open or closed.

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.

One person supported by Craven Home Care had an interest in computing. They had been employed by the service to help create newsletters, the service user guide and marketing materials; recognising their strengths and helping them build on their abilities.

Staff compatibility was assessed to ensure people’s support staff reflected their preferences and their social needs could be better met. One person’s experience was included in the service user guide; explaining their staff team had reduced over time, so they now received support from a small, preferred team.

People’s religious and cultural needs were included in needs assessments and care plans. The service worked closely with 1 person’s relatives to ensure they could attend church regularly.

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

Staff supported people’s independence. A staff member told us, “Everyone is different and we are going into [people’s] homes, so it is very important not to jump into tasks, but to ask [people] and get them to shape (what we do) and for them to remain independent. Sometimes this involves encouraging the [person] to do what they can for themselves, sometimes it is a case of building [people’s] confidence up and supporting them to build up to bigger tasks.” For younger people, the emphasis was on promoting independent living skills such as shopping, laundry and housework.

People and their relatives confirmed staff promoted choice and control.

Staff supported people to access a wide range of community activities and amenities. The manager told us people were supported to go shopping, visit garden centres, go to the pub to meet friends or attend activities at the local day centre. Craven Home Care also supported people to go on holidays, to provide valuable respite to relatives and unpaid carers.
 

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.

People’s communication needs were detailed in assessments and care plan, and staff were knowledgeable about non-verbal cues or behaviours which may indicate a person’s pain or distress. A staff member said, “Every [person] is different, so it is important to get to know them as this helps you recognise how to respond in the most appropriate way. It is important to pick up on their body language as well as verbal communication and really listen to them.”

Staff responded quickly and escalated concerns to managers, relatives or healthcare partners when people became unwell. Staff and managers provided extra support during hospital admissions, to help ease distress.

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

Staff safety information was included in the staff handbook, and there was a personal safety policy which included details about lone working.

Managers held a weekly drop-in to ensure staff had regular opportunities to give feedback, discuss their experiences or seek support. A staff member told us, “I have always felt well supported and feel very comfortable to raise concerns or new ideas. I also feel the management are very supportive through any personal issues and ensure time off is granted when needed.” Another added, “I feel very well supported by management, they are always available when I need them.”

Staff confirmed they felt valued by managers and colleagues. A Christmas party was held annually, where staff were given vouchers and acknowledged for their work. Staff were also recognised in the service’s newsletter for their accomplishments.