Home Instead Mid Norfolk

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 service. This key question has been rated 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 100 (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.

The provider demonstrated kindness and compassion ran throughout the business. Their systems and processes supported this to ensure people were at the centre of their care and received kindness compassion and dignity. The provider cared about the people they supported, and their passion was also demonstrated through staff, and the way they spoke about people. People’s feedback and records showed relationships were warm, respectful and highly valued, extending not only to people who used the service but also to their family members.

Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive and consistently reflected the outstanding caring culture of the service. One relative said, “[Person] is very happy with [their] lovely [staff]. [Person] is treated with charm and courtesy. Dignity and respect are shown at all times. [They have] the same [staff] and we are very satisfied.” Another relative said, “There has been a relationship of trust that has developed which is beneficial to [person]. Absolutely they treat [person] with dignity and respect and are kind and gentle with [person]. They really encourage [person] to engage.” Staff went over and above to make people feel special. One relative told us, “[Staff] are very caring and considerate. Their kind communication and compassion give great peace of mind. When it was [person’s] birthday, the carers bought her flowers and cards, I feel that this goes over and above any expectations.”

Staff spoke with pride about delivering dignified and compassionate care and demonstrated a clear understanding of the provider’s values and how to show them in their work. One staff member said, “I promote dignity, respect, privacy and independence by following the care plan, communicating effectively and treating each client with professionalism and respect at all times. I am to work with the clients rather than doing tasks for them, in order to promote independence, whilst respecting their belongings, preferences, beliefs and culture.” This reflected a strong consistently applied ethos to empower people and uphold their individuality.

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.

People were truly at the heart of the care provided by Home Instead. Care packages were designed around what was important to the person, what they wanted to achieve from the care and support. Care plans were comprehensive, person-led and detailed, which captured not only people’s health and support needs but also their life histories, relationships, interests and preferences. They provided clear guidance for staff on how to deliver care in ways that respected people’s personal wishes, which ensured care was both meaningful and inclusive.

The provider also knew staff well from recruitment where they found out details of their interests and likes so they were able to match them to form a small care team to provide support for each person. Handpicked staff who had information on the person’s life history, clear guidance on how to deliver care in ways that respected people’s cultural, religious and personal wishes, and shared interests, ensured meaningful, inclusive care was based on trusting relationships. This was supported by relatives, one of whom told us, “They really did match a carer to suit [person’s] needs and personality. The services has been very good for my [relative] as [they] are now drawing again with the encouragement of [their] carer.” The impact of which was, “[Person] has regained a sense of worth.” Staff said they ensured they followed even the smallest detail as these could be equally as important for people as larger considerations. One staff member told us, “This can be as simple as one of my clients likes to use a fish knife not an ordinary knife or a soup spoon when [they] have soup.” This meant people felt their individual likes and dislikes were being listened to, which gave peace of mind and confidence in the care being provided.

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.

There was a deeply embedded culture of empowering people to live their lives as independently as possible, with staff consistently enabling people to maintain their autonomy, dignity and sense of purpose. People were actively supported to make informed choices about all aspects of their daily lives. This included how their care was delivered, their routines and how they wished to spend their time. Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of each person’s aims and worked proactively to ensure these were achieved, finding flexible and creative approaches. An example of this was when staff supported a person who had communication difficulties following a stroke. They were facing a life changing decision regarding a diagnosis. Staff worked with the family to develop a system to help present the medical options in an accessible, digestible way. This was used to help them express their true preferences, thoughts and fears. Another staff member who had gone through one of the medical options, also shared their lived experience in a deeply relatable and reassuring way. The impact on the person and their family was profound. Their anxiety was drastically reduced, and they were empowered to make a confident, truly informed decision.

The provider showed an exceptional commitment to promote independence. Care plans were highly personalised and clearly outlined what people could do for themselves, with staff providing the least restrictive support possible. This enabled people to retain and develop their skills and confidence. Staff consistently encouraged people to remain as independent as possible, offered reassurance and guidance in a way that upheld dignity and self-worth. Staff told us, “One person I visited initially had ready meals in the evenings which they didn’t particularly enjoy. Having spent time with them, chatting about their past, I found out they used to host dinner parties and had enjoyed cooking. I asked about particular meals they loved and suggested purchasing some ingredients with their shopping which [staff] could use to make fresh meals throughout the week. [Person] now enjoys fish and chicken dishes with fresh vegetables and has even started making their own rice puddings again. Fantastic!”

The provider went above and beyond to ensure people felt in control of their lives, demonstrating a strong commitment to human rights-based care. This approach resulted in people feeling empowered, respected and confident, with consistently positive outcomes that enhanced their overall wellbeing and quality of life. One person told us, “I make my own meals and take my own tablets. I like to keep my independence. They don’t just take over. I am 97 years old. The care is helping me retain independence. They are so considerate and have a magic touch.”

The provider was exceptional in how they 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 had a culture which was highly proactive and responsive to quickly identify concerns and take immediate appropriate action to ensure people’s changing needs were meet. The robust monitoring systems in place with the use of artificial intelligence which scanned care records daily to identify concerns, themes and trends at early stages, so actions were taken to investigate and where needed appropriate steps taken including referral to health care professionals. People were also supported by a consistent staff team who knew them extremely well. This enabled staff to recognise even subtle changes in people’s conditions or presentations and respond promptly and effectively. Staff said, “I like to think I know all my clients really well. It helps if you know them well as one day you ask them if they’re okay and they tell you that they are but their body language is telling you something very different. If they did not know me they would not trust me with this information but usually we can discuss what the problems is and we can go about finding the correct solution for them.” Staff were confident in their knowledge of another person who had not appeared their normal self. They monitored and did not feel there was any improvement. They contacted 111 for further advice who suggested contacted their GP in the morning. The staff team were not fully reassured so they escalated concerns to the office, who contacted family to suggest someone stayed with them overnight. Their condition worsened overnight with an ambulance being called in the morning. Staff had recognised subtle changes, raised concerns and advocated for the person even when others were reassured, trusting their professional instinct and knowledge of the person. The impact of this was the person received immediate treatment at the earliest opportunity.

People and their relatives told us how staff were responsive to their needs and had taken action when their loved one was unwell. Staff going above and beyond to stay and ensure they received the care and support needed, whilst waiting for emergency services. This strong emphasis on knowing people as individuals and responding quickly to changes ensured people experienced safe, responsive and personalised care at all times.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had robust and meaningful processes in place to support staff wellbeing. Wellbeing was actively promoted through regular supervisions, staff meetings and informal opportunities to connect such as open access to the office and social events. There was a wellbeing quarterly meeting, the latest being with a health focus for both staff and people they supported with challenges such as how many steps they could do in a month. Managers contacted staff for ad hoc “check in” calls to see if they were ok and to offer support, especially if they had been involved in any type of incident. Managers knew staff well and were highly responsive to their needs. For example, offering support when staff had personal issues. One staff member said, “I could not have asked for better support [due to personal circumstances] and in fact I didn’t have to ask, it was offered without question.”

The provider actively recognised the importance staff played in ensuring people received excellent, high quality person-centred care and celebrated staff contributions through a staff recognition scheme, acknowledging long service, staff of the month, heart of gold, rising star with thoughtful gestures such as vouchers and certificates. This fostered a culture of appreciation and pride in delivering high quality care.

This highly inclusive, supportive and nurturing environment ensured staff felt confident, valued and motivated, which directly translated into consistently compassionate, person-centred care for people using the service. Staff told us, “It doesn’t feel like work. It’s amazing. I love my job and the girls at the office. They are all fantastic. I’d recommend to anyone and have done!”