AJ Case Management

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.
 

This service scored 90 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Everyone we spoke with gave overwhelmingly positive feedback about the staff and service. Without exception, people and their relatives described staff as kind, compassionate, and respectful, and consistently spoke about being treated with dignity. One person told us about the staff who supported them, “They know what I like. They are good, they respect me totally.” They went on to tell us staff “definitely” maintained their privacy and dignity, particularly when supporting them with personal care such as showering.

Relatives shared similarly positive experiences. One relative described their relationship with staff as “absolutely marvellous,” adding their family member “thoroughly enjoys themself every day,” and praised the loyalty, commitment, and consistency of staff. Relatives felt staff knew individuals extremely well and had an in‑depth understanding of their needs, preferences, routines, and what mattered most to them.

Staff received comprehensive training in maintaining privacy, dignity, and respectful care, which was clearly embedded into people’s care plans and consistently reflected in practice. People were supported to exercise choice and control over their private lives, and staff respected people’s rights to have their own personal time and autonomy. Care plans reflected people’s preferences while ensuring appropriate risk management, safeguarding considerations and legal responsibilities were maintained.

Household health and safety assessments placed an emphasis on people’s wishes about how staff conducted themselves in their homes. People received support for up to 24 hours a day, so clear and personalised agreements were developed with each person and their family regarding staff routines, including arrangements for meals and drinks, cleaning and laundry, responding to visitors, and answering the door or telephone. People decided whether staff ate separately or shared meals with them, reinforcing the sense of respect and partnership.

The registered manager reinforced a strong culture of respect and told us, “We are always mindful it is their [people’s] home, and we need to be respectful of that. How do they want us to enter the property? Do they want staff to answer the phone or the door? We can demonstrate respect by recognising we are in someone else’s home.” This approach helped to ensure people and their families felt listened to, valued, and fully respected in every aspect of their care.
 

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.

Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to treating people as individuals, tailoring support to each person’s unique needs, abilities, and circumstances. Staff took account of people’s strengths and abilities when supporting them to make choices about their lives. For example, one staff member described how they helped a person understand whether they could afford a particular item, explaining, “From there they can make their own decision based on the information we have provided.” This approach promoted independence, dignity, and informed choice.

People were supported by staff who knew them extremely well, and relatives told us they felt fully involved in their loved one’s care. People and their relatives were actively involved in the recruitment of their staff teams, ensuring strong, trusting relationships and continuity of care.

Support was highly personalised and culturally sensitive. Daily routines and care plans reflected people’s individual preferences, beliefs, and values, including support to practise religious beliefs. Staff used creative and accessible tools, such as one person creating their own personalised “all about me” video, where they told the listener about them, about what mattered to them and what their goals and aspirations were. The registered manager told us this was something the person had wanted to do alongside their written “all about me” summary. This helped the person to be seen as an individual.

The registered manager said, “We need to understand our clients and work with them and help them to understand what is happening in their lives.” An excellent example of this value was when one person was due to travel abroad with their family. The person had minimal oral communication and relied on an alternative communication system developed by Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT). Staff worked in close partnership with the person’s case manager and SaLT to develop a personalised social story tailored to their communication needs. This included photographs, visual symbols, easy‑read images, and a clear visual countdown to the trip. Staff reviewed this daily with the person to help them understand, reduce their anxiety, become familiar with what would happen at each stage of the trip and prepare for this significant change. This demonstrated excellent partnership working and cultural awareness with a strong focus on person centred, needs led practice. This helped to ensure the person could fully understand, participate in, and feel in control of this important event.
 

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

Relatives consistently told us staff had made a significant and lasting difference to people’s independence, choice, and the control they had over their own lives. One person had found accepting support from new carers had initially been very challenging, and they previously struggled to make choices or express their wishes. Their relative told us over the last six months there had been “a massive change,” with clear improvements in the person’s confidence, independence, and wellbeing. They attributed these improvements to the exceptional care and support staff had given to the person. The person now actively asked to go out, embraced new experiences, and enjoyed a wide range of meaningful activities. The relative told us they now knew everyone was there to help them, and this reassurance had contributed to their increased independence.

One staff member had been asked by the person they supported to send a message to the registered manager. The person, who had the capacity to make their own decisions and choices wanted to thank staff for making it possible for them to live a happy and independent life. A relative told us, “They [staff] couldn’t do anything better. They look after [Person’s name] so well,” and spoke about how the person regularly enjoyed holidays and meaningful opportunities of their choosing.

Staff made excellent use of assistive technology to enhance people’s independence. For example, a case manager had arranged specialist support to adapt a person’s wheelchair so they could independently control the television and provided advice on suitable laptop and projection equipment. One staff member told us, “[Person’s name] is always the one in control,” which clearly reflected the service’s values.

Each person’s daily routine had been discussed and agreed with the person and their family. This included a detailed, person-centred step‑by‑step guide outlining how staff should support them throughout the day. This ensured support was tailored to each person’s individual preferences, communication styles, cultural needs, and personal goals, which helped them to live their lives with confidence, autonomy, and choice.
 

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.

Relatives told us staff worked closely with them to address any emerging concerns and took timely action to resolve issues. When required, staff sought advice and guidance from health and social care professionals to ensure people received the right support at the right time.

Staff told us they were encouraged to raise any concerns about changes in people’s health or wellbeing with managers without delay. This open and responsive culture supported early intervention and helped prevent any escalation of issues.

Clear contingency plans were in place to guide staff in responding to foreseeable changes or health emergencies. One person had detailed guidance in place on how they communicated pain so staff could recognise this and administer pain relief.

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 felt supported by the provider and their line managers to deliver person centred care. They had access to policies and guidance through the provider’s electronic system, with individual log‑ins and assigned reading lists to support their learning and development.

Staff were encouraged to discuss their wellbeing during supervision meetings. The registered manager told us staff were encouraged to contact their line managers or to visit the office for additional support. If work‑related wellbeing needs were identified, staff had access to occupational health assessments and counselling. Managers maintained regular contact with staff, and their feedback was actively sought through surveys. One staff member told us, “I feel supported. It can be difficult working as a lone worker, but I get plenty of support.”

Following the outcome of the last staff annual survey a wellbeing champion was put in place. They ensured wellbeing resources were shared in staff newsletters. One staff member told us, “We receive regular emails from the company with mental health drop in opportunities, and I trust there are policies and procedure in place to safeguard my wellbeing.”
The diversity of staff at AJ Case Management was recognised and supportive policies were in place, including menopause and lone working policies. Staff newsletters highlighted a range of awareness events which celebrated wellbeing, inclusion, and shared understanding. This included Mental Health Awareness week, Pride month, national grief awareness week and Human Rights Day.