Right at Home Reigate & Crawley

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 service 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 changed to 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 service 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 unanimously told us staff were kind and showed empathy and compassion. Comments included, “The carers are always kind, respectful, and compassionate, and they consistently treat [person] with dignity and care”, “Thecarers are like friends and there is a great bond between them. It is great to see. All the staff are very caring and respectful. I have met most of them and they are prepared to go the extra mile if needed”, and “We have a great laugh with carers, the service has been absolutely brilliant.”

Staff told us they always respected and upheld people’s dignity. A staff member said they ensured people’s care was centred around them by, “Maintaining their dignity, putting them first and making them take lead in their care.”

The service celebrated people’s birthdays and sent them bags with chocolate, a water bottle or a mason jar and a card with birthday wishes. The service also sent holiday gifts in a form of boxes of chocolate and chocolate eggs.

The service 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 service took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and met.

Staff knew people well and understood people’s individual needs and preferences.One staff member said, “When picking an outfit for the client to wear I make sure to give them options. The same with picking out dinner choices. It is important to give people the option and not just assume they want something just because they have it most days.” Another staff member told us, “I support people's religious and cultural needs by creating personalized care plans that include dietary requirements like vegetarian or halal meals. I celebrate important festivals, respect clothing choices, and provide quiet spaces for prayer. I also arrange visits from local religious leaders and ensure access to spiritual items, creating an inclusive environment for everyone.”

The provider’s electronic system contained details on how people wanted to have their care provided. For example, how they wished their drinks and food to be made or domestic tasks completed. This meant people’s needs were clearly described which in turn supported individualised support delivery.

People’s communication needs were met to enable them to engage in their care, treatment and support to maximise their experience and outcomes.

The provider worked hard on ensuring all people’s voices were heard and staff had the necessary training in place to support them in a personalised way. The provider organised additional and specialised training with a qualified Speech and Language Therapist, focusing on enhancing communication with people living with dementia. This supported staff to better understand individual communication needs and use appropriate techniques to promote meaningful engagement. This meant people were more likely to feel understood and were better supported to express their choices and preferences.

The provider partnered with a local community organisation to support a café once a month, designed to be a supportive community space for people living with dementia. The café provided support, social connection and respite opportunities for relatives. Some people being supported by the service attended this café. The café was developed in response to the growing need for accessible community-based activities that helped people living with dementia remain active, engaged and connected within their local community. The activities included gentle physical exercises, arts and crafts and social activities.

This promoted people’s social connections, reduced feelings of isolation, which contributed to better overall wellbeing.

The service 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 were complimentary about the service and confirmed staff supported people to remain independent. One relative said, “The carer is also very good at encouraging [person] to remain as independent as possible, offering support where needed without taking over unnecessarily.” Another relative told us, “[The person is] as independent as is possible given their various medical conditions”

People were supported to maintain relationships and networks that were important to them. Staff promoted people’s independence in their day to day lives. One staff member said, “People are supported to maintain contact with their family, friends and others who are important to them in ways that reflect their wishes and preferences. This may include supporting them to make phone calls, send messages, use video calls, receive visitors, visit family and friends or attend social and community activities.” Another staff member told us, “I support individuals in making choices that enhance their independence by actively involving them in daily routines and meal planning, allowing them to choose their preferred foods. I carefully assess potential risks and safety concerns, ensuring they are comfortable with their choices in daily activities. Additionally, I promote personalized exercises that maintain their strength and mobility, reducing the risk of falls and fostering confidence. By empowering individuals to make these decisions, I aim to enhance their quality of life and affirm their autonomy in care.”

People’s needs and wishes were clearly described in their care plans. These were accessible to staff through the electronic system.

Staff were passionate about promoting people’s independence and supporting them with their health. One staff member said, “I speak to health care professionals if there is a concern whether about medication or if I see that my client is not well and might need an assessment.” Another staff member told us, “The company organises training for supporting people with special needs and not long ago there was a wonderfully delivered and useful training on communication with people with dementia.”

There was a range of appropriate equipment available to support and maximise people’s independence and outcomes from care and treatment. The provider launched a falls prevention campaign, where people were given literature on preventing falls, short exercises, and instructions on how to safely get off the floor in the event of a fall. The provider also replaced worn walking aid rubber tips on people’s walking sticks, including for many individuals in the local community. This had a positive impact on people, as they did not have to wait for replacements and were able to maintain their mobility safely, reducing the risk of injury and promoting greater independence.

The registered manager, who was a qualified physiotherapist, introduced a reablement and rehabilitation service delivered alongside practical support during routine care visits. Staff received targeted training focused on the principles of physiotherapy-led rehabilitation, enabling them to promote independence effectively during everyday interactions. The programme was closely monitored by the provider, and positive outcomes were shared with another service to support wider learning and development. The provider told us that many people reported to be more confident and had a better mobility as a result of the programme. The provider planned on expanding this in the future to support people and their local community.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff respond to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Records showed the service regularly contacted and worked alongside health and social care professionals. When people’s needs changed, the service ensured people’s care delivery plans, such as manual handling plans were reviewed by professionals.

People and relatives confirmed staff responded appropriately to people’s changing needs. One relative said, “The carers have a very good understanding of [person’s] needs and health conditions, and we’ve always felt confident in the care and support they provide.” Another relative told us, “The management are both very responsive and proactive. They answer my queries very quickly and phone me promptly to let me know of any changes or issues. They also check in with me and [person] on a regular basis. They were able to fulfil our requirements very speedily. They give me and [person] the time we need when we communicate.”

The provider and the management of the service were aware of people’s immediate needs and the impact poor health had on them.

The service 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 demonstrated a strong and embedded commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. This meant the workforce culture was of one where staff felt respected, valued and empowered to thrive.

Staff unanimously told us they were happy in their job and felt proud to work for the service. New staff completed a health questionnaire form in case any reasonable adjustments at work should be explored. Staff also confirmed they were supported with time off work when their personal circumstances required it.

Comments included, “There are planned supervisions or informal catch‑ups where my manager would ask me how I’m coping emotionally and physically, and whether I need any support”, “Exceptional. We always have full support both in the workplace and out of it. They have wonderful schemes to encourage us to always strive to do our best ie: Gem of the month awards, anniversaries etc”, and “I would say consistent opportunities for staff development and recognition help maintain motivation and high standards of care.”

The service was recognised by various organisations and received awards for being a good employer. Records showed the service completed staff surveys and regularly checked on staff’s wellbeing, ensuring they felt supported.

Staff members work was recognised through various internal awards and schemes. These included monthly Hero awards, weekly “Thank you Fridays” recognising positive feedback and testimonials received from people and relatives and work anniversary recognition. The management ensured staff received personalised gifts on their birthdays and vouchers and more on holidays.

The service shared positive feedback from people and relatives to ensure staff were aware of it and could feel proud of making a difference in somebody’s life.

The registered manager told us they tried an employee assistance programme as a way of supporting staff members, but found nobody was using it. Therefore, the service concentrated more on awards, an open-door culture, regular catch ups and staff meetings. They also developed their own wellbeing programme, offering a range of activities and support initiatives for the staff. Through the wellbeing programme the provider organised a cooking session, medication and stress management workshops, social gatherings and a painting session, to name a few.