Surrey Hills Home Help Services 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 82 (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.

The registered manager was passionate about ensuring people did not experience isolation. They had created a wellbeing coordinator role and allocated a monthly budget, which was then spent on spending 1:1 time with people outside of their typical care package, engaging in things that were important to them or improving their self-esteem. The wellbeing coordinator told us, “Carers will inform me if a client needs a wellbeing session or I can visit them myself and will see if they need more company or feel down. I will do any activity that they are interested in like an art activity, puzzle or go for a walk to make them feel better.”

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 and relatives told us they received care from the same staff to provide consistency to their care. One person told us, “They keep us informed if anything changes.” A staff member told us, “When the rota is completed, we are usually put on the same route, so we see the same clients daily and build a rapport with the clients.”

Thought was given when introducing a new staff member into a person’s care team. One person confirmed the registered manager would bring the new staff member to the person’s house to introduce them personally. This demonstrated the provider understood the importance of continuity and choice in people’s care.

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

Care plans were in place to guide staff on how to best communicate with people. For example, 1 person had a hearing impairment but was able to lip read, so staff were advised to ensure they looked at the person when speaking to support this. Another person required their glasses to be with them at all times to aid communication.

Relatives felt staff kept them updated with information on their family member’s health and wellbeing. One relative told us, “When builders were there (at their family member’s house), they liaised with me and let me know how the work was going.” Another relative said staff updated them with photographs of their family member on a regular basis. Another relative added that due to living in another country, they were reliant on and thankful to the Surrey Hills Home Help staff for keeping them informed about their family member’s health and wellbeing.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People felt able to raise concerns in the knowledge that they would be acted upon and resolved. One relative told us, “When I raised a concern, they sorted it out quickly. They changed the carer when we asked, and it improved things. The agency listened and made changes straight away.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. This included advocating for people who were experiencing poor or inadequate input from health professionals. For example, 1 person was discharged from hospital without the appropriate equipment. Healthcare professionals stated this was due to them not having an NHS number, despite them living in the UK. The registered manager said, “Because of this the [person] had been in severe pain and distress and not received the health care they needed.” The registered manager repeatedly contacted the GP, occupational therapist and district nurses to request appropriate care and support for the person and supported them to regain some independence and strength until they were able to travel back to their home address. They also raised a safeguarding concern to encourage lessons to be learnt by health professionals to prevent a similar situation from occurring again.

The registered manager had gone above and beyond to ensure people had access to their basic needs, such as food and nutrition. One person had been left without access to their bank account for several months, leaving them unable to purchase anything. The registered manager had ensured this had not meant the person was left hungry and without food and had paid for the person’s food shopping for several months out of their own money.

Staff and leaders were innovative in how they listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. Staff and leaders actively used this information to provide exceptionally tailored care, support and treatment in response to this. This resulted in demonstrably improved outcomes for people who were at risk of inequality, including improved mental wellbeing, reduced reliance on mental health services and increased safety and stability.

Staff knew the people they supported exceptionally well, and the distinctive situations and environment in which their care needed to be provided in. Therefore, they challenged health professionals when they believed people’s needs were not being met adequately due to people’s individual circumstances. For example, 1 person’s home address was not a typical property, and they required specialised equipment to meet their health needs. This was not considered by healthcare professionals when discharging the person home from a hospital stay, which resulted in the person not receiving the appropriate care they required for several days. The management team at the service repeatedly raised their concerns and challenged the decision of healthcare professionals until a resolution was finally reached.

The registered manager also gave an example of a person whose home was not suitable to be living in. They told us they had professionally challenged external professionals involved in their care to encourage better outcomes for the person. The registered manager told us, “All my clients and staff are people first before anything else. I will always stand up for them no matter their age, sex, religion or disability.” Staff confirmed this ethos within the service, with comments from them including, “We ensure that we do not judge people and ensure that theyare kept at the centre of their care”, and “Everybody has a right to be treated with safety, with warmth, equally, get good nutrition and companionship.”

One person told us visits from the wellbeing coordinator over the weekend had improved their mental wellbeing, prevented them from becoming socially isolated and depressed and progressed to them being discharged from needing input from the mental health team. They said, “I live on my own and I tend to get very depressed I’m usually quite social. I spend my week at Brambles (the provider’s day centre) but I find I get very depressed at the weekend, so [the wellbeing coordinator visit] helps get me through it.” They told us a condition they were diagnosed with could cause them to “really hit rock bottom.” However, the support from the wellbeing coordinator “prevents me from reaching that point. I love the support from her. I couldn’t wish for better. I know if I need to chat to someone, they’re there.” They went on to tell us they were previously an alcoholic, but the support from staff had helped them overcome their addiction. They said, “I’ve been tempted to drink, but they’ve kept me occupied at Brambles and with [the wellbeing coordinator] so that I don’t slip and undo 16 months' work.” Furthermore, they confirmed the registered manager had invited them to spend last Christmas with her and her family so that he had support during what can be a very isolating time for some. He told us, “It meant the world to me.”

Relatives also felt staff were exceptional in advocating for people who were unable to speak up for themselves. One relative had written to the service stating, “I am especially grateful for the way you consistently advocate for my mother, even at times when I am unable to do so myself. This has made a significant difference in ensuring her safety, dignity, and overall wellbeing.”

People were given exceptional support to plan for important life changes, so they could make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. This continued into supporting their families through and after this process.

The service worked alongside local hospices to deliver care to people in their final days. The registered manager told us, “I’m a specialist in this area, so we always aim for a good death. We work within the 4 principles of end of life care.”

Staff ensured people were not alone in their final days. One person who had recently passed away had no known immediate family members. The registered manager told us how they had slept on the person’s sofa for the final 2 weeks of their life to ensure someone was with them when they passed. They went on to arrange the person’s funeral and adopted the person’s cat to ensure their final wishes were fulfilled. The registered manager told us the service had supported the person for over a decade and, “They were Surrey Hills, through and through. I’m glad we had the opportunity to see things were done right by her right at the end.” Following this, the registered manager informed us they had been able to locate an estranged family member so the person’s belongings and ashes could be passed on appropriately.

This approach reflected the service’s wider commitment to compassionate, holistic end‑of‑life care and ongoing support for families. Staff were aware that relatives needed support when a family member was receiving end of life care. The registered manager told us, “When someone’s dying you have all the professionals coming in and the home is very busy. And then once they’re gone there’s a huge void for whoever is left, especially if it’s a spouse who’s been with them all this time. So it’s so important we’re still there for them. There’s some families that we still keep in touch with years later.” The registered manager told us staff would continue to visit family members without charge following the loss of a loved one to offer companionship or simply to have a cup of tea. This was to offer emotional support through a time of bereavement and change in their life.