Kanssas Home Care Ltd

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 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 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.

People and their relatives consistently spoke very highly of their care workers and the quality of care and support provided. A person told us, “One carer is like a daughter to me.” Other comments included, “The carers bring life to my relative when they are there. I think the carers do the best job they can with the resources they have”, “They are never rushed to get away and cover all the duties, and are willing to do extra if required”, “As an added bonus the carers also look after my relative’s cats” and “The carers have a nice approachable personality. You can talk to them about anything. They appear attentive and caring with my relative and try and learn about her needs.” This overwhelmingly positive feedback demonstrated the meaningful and trusting relationships staff had developed with people. It also highlighted the significant impact their compassionate, person-centred approach had on people’s wellbeing and overall quality of life.

An example of the provider’s compassionate and responsive approach was when a person’s main carer experienced a change in circumstances and could no longer provide support. The provider acted immediately, notifying the funding authority and ensuring the person’s immediate needs were met, including staff purchasing food. This helped to reduce anxiety and provided reassurance during an unexpected change, demonstrating a genuine commitment to the person’s wellbeing and ensuring they felt supported and cared for at all times.

We reviewed communication records between the service, people, their relatives, and professionals, which reflected a compassionate and caring approach. Interactions were warm, respectful, and person-centred, demonstrating a genuine understanding of people’s individual needs and a commitment to providing reassurance and emotional support alongside practical care. A person described how a certain staff member had helped restore their dignity and sense of self-worth. They wrote, “[Staff member] has always remain calm and collective, she is very trustworthy and a special person who was sent to me from the Lord above.

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.

Information within people’s care plans was personalised to reflect their individual needs, preferences, and any limitations. Staff understood people’s needs and provided support in a way that empowered them and upheld their rights. A person told us, “They know what to do and they do it without me asking. I can approach the carers if I need anything extra done.” Comments from relatives included, “Carers are very effective in paying attention to detail and getting to know my relative’s needs on a very personal level” and “[Staff] are caring and value my relative’s needs.”

Staff respected people’s religious and cultural needs. Their care plans contained information on their country of origin, favourite cultural foods and religion. Staff used a range of communication methods to promote understanding, engagement, and person-centred support. A relative explained, although their relative did not speak English, staff engaged positively with them and demonstrated a good understanding of their specific needs.

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

Instructions within people’s care plans strongly emphasised choice, independence and control, reflecting a culture where these principles were embedded in everyday practice. For example, a person who had lost their vision was supported through clear, detailed guidance to ensure their disability did not limit their ability to live a meaningful life. Staff described items in detail to help the person make informed choices and retain control over their daily routines. For another person living with dementia, which affected their judgement and decision-making abilities, their care plan set out how staff should support them to complete daily tasks as independently as possible, including preparing breakfast. Care review records showed the person was actively involved and able to express clear views about their future, including a wish to return to a day centre, demonstrating their preferences were heard and respected. They were also able to communicate their needs in detail and showed a strong sense of identity and control.

Where possible, staff consistently encouraged people to take part in activities that supported their wellbeing and independence. Relatives told us, “The carers get my relative to do exercises to promote her independence” and “The carers encourage [person] to get out of the house.” This showed people were supported to maintain independence in ways that mattered to them.

Staff spoke positively and passionately about promoting independence. A staff member described how they supported a person with partial paralysis to be involved in their care, which promoted dignity and active participation in decisions about their support. They commented, “Whenever I am supporting someone and I feel they can do something, I encourage them.” Another staff member said, “We do exercises, dancing, listen to music; I give them the best quality of life according to their circumstances, while still supporting their independence.”

This approach consistently enabled people to remain in control of their lives, build confidence, and achieve positive outcomes that improved their wellbeing and quality of life

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.

Care workers monitored people’s needs closely and reported any changes or concerns to the management team, who ensured necessary actions were taken promptly. They sought support from external agencies when people required specialist input and followed up consistently when this was delayed. We saw multiple examples where the service responded in a caring and timely manner when people experienced challenges in their personal lives. There were several instances where the provider arranged for a handyperson to visit people’s homes to address issues in the physical environment, such as broken door locks and electrical faults. The provider did not hesitate to purchase items including food and toiletries to ensure people had continuous access to basic amenities and later sought reimbursement for these costs where applicable. This demonstrated the provider’s caring and responsive approach, ensuring people were not exposed to unnecessary stress or burdens in their daily lives.

People and their relatives confirmed how well the provider responded to their changing needs, while making efforts to improve their quality of life. We saw an example of a person describing a stage in their life when they felt severely depressed and had lost all their friends. The person wrote, “[Care worker] helped me by gently showing me love and care that I feel human again and I look forward to the future now.” Comments from relatives included, “The manager has rung up on a few occasions and always been helpful and supportive, especially when my relative have mental health issues” and “They have been very pro-active, I can’t praise them enough.” These accounts showed the provider’s ability to deliver responsive care that made a genuine difference to people’s lives.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. There was effective communication between management and staff. Staff consistently spoke positively about the support they received in carrying out their duties. Their comments included, “They’re very helpful. They always ask us if we have any concerns every time we come here [office], they also call sometimes”, “As a team we work well, if we have problems they are resolved quickly” and “There’s flexibility.”