Home Instead Rochdale

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 85 (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.

The provider employed people with the right skills and values, who were kind and caring, showing leaders were compassionate for the people they provided care for. Relatives we spoke with consistently highlighted the kindness and compassion of staff. Without exception, feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Comments included: “(relative) loves the ladies that care for her; during personal care they are very respectful and maintain her dignity at all times,” and “they really care about (relative’s) mental health as well as physical wellbeing.”

The registered manager told us that staff would stay with the person for the length of the call and encouraged staff to chat with people as part of their care, a relative told us, “The most important thing the carers do is sit and chat to (relative) companionship is so important.”

Staff showed sensitivity when providing personal care, ensuring peoples’ privacy and dignity were respected at all times. One person told us, “They respect (relative) dignity at all times, ensuring they are covered up during personal care.” Staff consistently spoke about the people they supported with warmth and respect. One staff member told us, “The best part of this job is talking to people and listening to their stories and backgrounds.”

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.

Staff had access to information about people’s cultural backgrounds, preferences, and individual histories prior to providing support, enabling them to deliver care that was both informed and person-centred from the outset. People using the service, along with their relatives, consistently told us that regular staff members supported them. This continuity played a significant role in creating a strong sense of familiarity, trust, and consistency, which in turn promoted comfort and wellbeing.

Staff explained that having a thorough understanding of each person’s cultural and religious needs was essential to ensuring care was delivered in a respectful and meaningful way, aligned with individuals’ wishes and values. They recognised that this knowledge allowed them to tailor their approach and provide support that reflected each person’s identity.

Through our discussions with staff, it was evident that they had developed a strong understanding of the people they supported. They spoke confidently and compassionately about peoples’ needs, preferences, and routines. Overall, staff demonstrated a clear commitment to providing high-quality, personalised care, and their dedication to the people they supported was constantly evident.

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

The provider had successfully embedded a culture that promoted independence and choice within the service. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance of supporting people’s independence and respecting their right to make their own decisions.

A family member shared, “There are times when (relative) does not want a shower in the morning, but the carers will suggest having one later in the day during another visit. They very much centre (relative)’s care around their wishes.”

Staff also described how they actively encourage choice in everyday activities. One staff member told us, “I give people lots of options. I support them to choose things like their clothes for the day or what to watch on TV. It not only keeps them engaged, but it also ensures they have control over their lives and are not simply being told what to wear or what to do.”

Care plans provided comprehensive and clearly structured information, outlining both the individual’s abilities and the specific areas where additional support was required. They offered a thorough overview of each person’s strengths, promoting independence where possible, while also identifying any limitations or needs that would require assistance. This ensured that care could be delivered in a personalised, consistent, and effective manner, tailored to the requirements of each individual.

Another staff member highlighted a person-centred approach when supporting an individual with a large family network. They explained how they worked with both the person and their relatives to maintain important social and cultural connections. With the person’s consent, the staff member supported them to visit a culturally specific supermarket, attend church, and go to the pub to meet friends, helping to reduce the risk of social isolation and promote overall wellbeing.

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.

Staff responded promptly and effectively to people’s immediate and evolving needs, demonstrating a strong awareness of changes in individuals’ health and wellbeing. They were able to recognise early signs of deterioration and took timely and appropriate action, including escalating concerns to the management team. This proactive approach helped ensure people continually felt safe, reassured, and well supported.

People were supported to access external health and medical services whenever required, ensuring continuity of care and positive outcomes. Relatives spoke highly of the service’s responsiveness and flexibility, describing how staff and management acted swiftly when individuals became unwell or following any incident. One relative shared, “They monitor (relative) as they have lost a lot of weight and encourage them to eat foods that will help them gain weight.”

Staff told us that the responsive culture within the service enabled them to feel well supported and confident in taking prompt action when required. They described a strong management presence and clear systems of support that ensured they were never working in isolation.

One staff member explained, “There is always someone on call and I will ring if I need to. If the issue is serious, management will always come out to support. If an incident occurs and it is making you late for your next call, management will arrange for another staff member to come and take over from you.”

This demonstrated a proactive and supportive approach from management, ensuring staff had access to timely guidance and practical assistance. It also helped ensure that people continued to receive safe, responsive care without disruption, even when unforeseen circumstances arose.

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.

There was a policy and risk assessment around lone working, and an electronic system was in use to alert management if staff were late for a call or did not log out of a call outside of normal working hours. This enabled management to follow up issues in a timely manner and where necessary contact emergency contacts, it also gave staff peace of mind when lone working.

The provider ensured that positive feedback was shared with the team. The registered manager told us, “We encourage feedback from our clients, not only so we can improve on our service but so we can also provide recognition and praise to the team, who excel in their duties every day.” There was a monthly “above and beyond” award which was introduced to boost staff morale and ensure the team were being acknowledged and recognised for their hard work. It encouraged people and their families to nominate staff as well as staff nominating each other. Staff also had access to an employee assistance programme and Home Instead benefits which gave discounts at various shops

There were regular staff meetings where issues could be discussed, and any changes or best practice information could be shared along with discussing experiences. One person told us “I feel safe at work, I know that at any time I can ring the person on call if I need help, knowing that they can check the live system is reassuring and if I have not logged out of a call they will ring me to make sure everything is okay”. Staff confirmed that they felt valued by their management team and that they had a manageable workload and did not feel overwhelmed due to enough staff being in place.

We saw evidence of staff preferences and requests regarding working hours and days being accommodated, for example to support education commitments or religious holidays. The registered manager told us that being flexible with staff working requests and ensuring that staff provided care to regular people was beneficial to staff as well as people themselves. Staff were happy in their work and felt supported and good relationships were formed, with both people and staff describing each other as friends.