A1 Home Care Also known as A1 Home Care Limited

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.

The management team and staff team spoke about the people they support at A1 Home Care with compassion and with dignity at all times. Staff we spoke with told us, without exception, how important it was to treat people with kindness and promote dignity at all times. Staff took pride in working for A1 Home Care and the positive impact they helped to make on people’s care and support needs. Comments we received from staff included, “I love working for A1. It's nice to know we make a difference in people's lives. Staff treat people with dignity and respect. We have all the training we need to care for our lovely people” and “I do feel people are safe that we support, and A1 works well with health professionals and people’s families to ensure proper care is delivered. Staff overall treat people very well; I haven't met a staff member yet that isn't concerned about people we support.” Staff also told us how important it was to them that people were treated how they would care for their own family. Comments included, “I feel the care at A1 is 5*. People are treated with the upmost respect and care. I have witnessed staff always treating people with dignity and kindness as if they were caring for one of their own family” and “I have always cared for people like I would want my own family cared for.”

Feedback from people, their relatives and professionals was overwhelmingly positive about the care and support provided by A1 Home Care. People consistently described receiving care from staff who were not only highly skilled, but who genuinely cared about them as individuals. Comments included, “They are lovely people who visit and genuinely care about the people they support and their wellbeing. They are genuinely caring people doing the job because they love it, not just because it’s their job, that genuine caring attitude really comes across.” Professionals spoke passionately about the service's values and the positive impact it had on people's lives. One professional told us, “The team are incredibly passionate about the people they support and regularly go above and beyond to ensure that clients receive not only appropriate care, but also kindness, dignity, respect and meaningful interaction. Nothing ever appears to be too much trouble for the team, and there is a clear culture of wanting to achieve the very best outcomes for clients and the staffing team.”

People receiving support described trusting and meaningful relationships with staff, often highlighting the difference the service made to their wellbeing and quality of life, including reducing feelings of loneliness. Comments from people included, “I feel that the carers genuinely care about me and my wellbeing. It’s a pleasure to have them in my home”, “I really value the companionship as well as the practical care they provide” and “Having carers who are friendly and who I can talk to is important to me, particularly as a lot of people have passed on.” A relative told us how A1 Home Care had ensured that their relative was supported by the staff member they had built a great rapport with for their companionship calls. They told us, “I feel that they have thought carefully about which carers work best with [relative]. They’ve adapted the care around who [relative] feels most comfortable with.”

Feedback demonstrated that people experienced care that was consistently compassionate, person-centred and delivered by staff who were deeply committed to promoting their wellbeing. People and relatives described staff as going above and beyond to provide not only practical support but also emotional reassurance, companionship, advocacy and meaningful interactions that significantly improved their quality of life. One person received ongoing support from the service when they became involved in circumstances within the community that placed them at increased risk. Staff remained committed to supporting the person through this challenging period, working closely with other professionals to ensure there was a shared understanding of the person's needs and the risks they faced. Staff took additional time to build the person's confidence and understanding, helping them develop and maintain boundaries, recognise potential risks and make informed decisions about their safety. They continued to provide consistent emotional support and reassurance outside of routine care tasks, ensuring the person felt listened to, supported and able to maintain their independence whilst remaining safe within their community. People told us these relationships helped reduce feelings of loneliness and enabled them to feel valued, respected and understood. Staff's compassionate approach, persistence and commitment to achieving positive outcomes promoted people's emotional wellbeing and ensured support was tailored to what mattered most to them.

Staff consistently described a culture of teamwork, compassion and kindness. Staff felt supported and valued by the management team. Staff told us they were recognised for the work they do to support people. Any compliments received were shared with the staff member(s). One staff member told us, “From day one, management have been very approachable. It feels more like a family and there is no hierarchy status. Everyone is treated with respect, empathy and kindness. This then filters through to how staff treat service users.” The registered manager kept a detailed compliments and praise log for the staff team. Feedback within the log supported the positive feedback we received from people and their relatives during our inspection. Comments reviewed included, “[Carer] was wonderful and an absolute pleasure to be with” and “[Carer] did an excellent job and is welcome here anytime.”

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.

People and their relatives told us they felt they were treated as individuals. One relative told us, “They treat [relative] as an individual rather than everybody receiving exactly the same care. The care isn’t just supporting [relative]; it has also provided a lot of support and reassurance to us as [relative’s] family.”

Care was personalised in line with people’s preferences and care plans detailed their likes and dislikes, including preferences for male or female care staff and any specific dietary needs. One relative told us how the staff played their relatives favourite music which was very important to their relatives’ wellbeing. They told us, “They played [music] for [relative], which I thought was absolutely lovely, it showed me that they think about what [relative] enjoys and what makes her happy. It’s those little things that demonstrate how caring they are.”

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

Care plans identified people’s preferences and choice and how people preferred to have their care and support needs met. People and their relatives consistently fedback that independence was promoted by the staff and people were encouraged to do as much for themselves as possible. One person told us, “I feel that the care works around me and helps me maintain as much independence as possible.” A relative told us, “They [staff] know what [relative] likes and doesn’t like and understand [relatives’] preferences.” One relative also told us, “They have listened to [relatives’] preference for female carers. I feel that the carers genuinely care about [relative] and think about what is best for [relative].”

Staff were described as kind and caring and always put people at the forefront of their care. Feedback we received included, “I feel that they pay attention to [relative] rather than simply completing the care tasks and leaving” and “They treat [relative] as a person and show genuine warmth towards [relative].” One person told us, “When the carers leave, they always make sure there’s nothing else they can do for me. They make sure that all my needs have been met before they leave.”

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.

People consistently experienced care from staff who knew them well and recognised subtle changes in their health and wellbeing. This enabled concerns to be identified and acted upon promptly, reducing the risk of deterioration and ensuring people received timely access to healthcare support. People and relatives described feeling reassured that staff would notice when something was wrong and take appropriate action. One relative told us, “[Relative] had a funny mark on the back of their shoulder, and it was one of [relative’s] regular carers who noticed it and voiced their concerns to the office.” Due to these concerns being escalated immediately, the person received support from the appropriate healthcare services to prevent deterioration. One person told us. “I feel confident that if I had any concerns or didn’t feel well, the carers would help me and would know what to do.” The provider responded proactively to people’s needs. People were supported by a consistent team, who knew them well and this helped them and their relatives to feel safe with improved outcomes for people.

Care packages were adjusted where required to ensure peoples’ needs were met. The provider was flexible around call times and had a dedicated office team who were consistent with ensuring any changes were escalated and communicated accordingly. One person told us, “If I have a hospital appointment and need the carers to come earlier, they can arrange that for me. When an earlier call is arranged for a hospital appointment, they are always here on time.” Another person told us how supportive the provider had been when they had an issue about another service and finances which had caused them distress. The provider supported them to contact the other service and resolve the situation quickly, minimising the distress to the person. They told us, “I contacted them and the A1 office were very helpful. If it hadn’t been for the people in the A1 office, I really don’t know what I would have done. I was so grateful for the help I received from the office that I bought them a little treat afterwards to say thank you.” They also told us, “I know now that if something goes wrong or I’m worried about something, I can contact the office and they will help me.”

Feedback from professionals supported that the management team and staff team were proactive in responding to changes in people’s needs. One professional told us, “From my experience of the organisation and the conversations I have had with staff, there is a strong awareness of the importance of communication, care planning and recognising changes in people's needs and wellbeing.” Staff understood their responsibility to report any changes to people’s needs. One staff member told us, “As carers we also carry a responsibility of any changes we see in the person in our care being reported to the office/care manager, however small it may be. We can do this via email or phone, and health changes/risks/care plan changes are dealt with promptly.”

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.

Staff feedback about working at A1 Home Care was overwhelmingly positive and consistently demonstrated a strong, supportive and inclusive culture. Staff spoke highly of the management team, describing them as approachable, responsive and committed to ensuring they felt valued and supported in their roles. Comments included, “We can talk to them [management] about anything that we are not sure of or if we need some advice about anything. They are always happy to help,” and “I'm very happy in my job and A1 have been amazing. They are always very efficient when a problem may arise. People are always safe.” Staff were encouraged to attend meetings, and we saw evidence within the meeting minutes of clear actions taken following staff feedback. For example, when staff had raised issues with needing more staff to cover the early morning calls, the provider acted quickly and had advertised specifically for staff to cover this time period and help to ease the pressure on the current staff team.

The provider and management team demonstrated a clear commitment to staff wellbeing. Staff were supported through flexible working arrangements and were provided with additional support during periods of difficult personal circumstances. Staff told us they had been supported when they needed to take extended periods of time off to care for a family member. They told us the registered manager contacted them regularly to offer support, guidance and reassurance during that time. This approach helped to ease pressure on the staff member and also ensured they still felt very much a part of the team. This person-centred approach extended to staff as well as the people they supported, helping to create a positive and compassionate working environment where staff felt respected and cared for.

Recognition and appreciation were embedded within the culture of the service. The registered manager actively recorded compliments received about staff and ensured these were shared with the individuals concerned. Staff told us this helped them feel acknowledged and valued for the difference they made to people's lives. One staff member said, “I feel appreciated in the work I do and I am very happy in my job. I am regularly praised by management when people pass forward a telephone or email regarding their happiness for how I care for them.”A1 Home Care also acknowledged long term service of team members and provided gift bags for staff with items of individual preference for staff which further highlighted the appreciation for staff from the management team.

Staff received regular supervision and benefited from a management team that maintained a highly visible and accessible presence. The registered manager operated an open-door policy and actively encouraged staff to visit the office, seek advice and share ideas. Staff consistently described a culture where they felt listened to, respected and valued. Feedback demonstrated exceptionally high levels of job satisfaction and a strong sense of belonging. One staff member told us, “I have never got up and dreaded going to work. I enjoy doing my job.” Another said, “I never get the Monday morning blues, I actually look forward to going to work. It means so much to be part of a company that has the same values and beliefs that I hold, in how you treat others. Right through from training, supporting staff and being made to feel appreciated. It is a pleasure to work for A1 and meet so many wonderful caring people as well as amazing service users. I don't ever want to leave.”

The provider's compassionate and inclusive approach to supporting staff had created a motivated, loyal and stable workforce. Staff described feeling genuinely invested in and valued by leaders, which strengthened morale, supported staff retention and enabled them to focus on delivering high-quality, person-centred care. The overwhelmingly positive feedback received from staff demonstrated a culture where staff were supported to perform their roles effectively.