Above & Beyond Care Ltd Also known as Above and Beyond 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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 95 (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 registered manager was committed to ensure that the underlying thread of the service they provided was based on ensuring people felt respected and were treated with kindness and compassion. They were proud they had achieved an outstanding rating for the key question caring in their last two inspections and consistently delivered a service which was empathetic, kind and compassionate.

The registered manager understood that providing people with regular care workers supported their wellbeing, the care visit rota was undertaken to ensure this happened. The registered manager told us they felt it was important for people to be introduced to the staff who would be supporting them to reduce the risks of the person feeling uncomfortable by being supported with, for example personal care, by an individual who was not known to them. Prior to people being supported by a staff member, a member of the management team who had done their assessment, carried out their first visit to make sure they were receiving the care they wanted. The staff member who would be supporting them was introduced to the person by a member of the management team, or another staff member, and shadowed the care and support provided. This caring system ensured people’s needs were being met consistently and the staff member was known to the person before they started supporting them.

The registered manager told us how they had coordinated visits with a person outside their home initially, so they could meet the staff who would be supporting them, to reduce their anxiety of receiving care. The registered manager had made themselves available for a person to telephone them if they were distressed, to ensure the person had access to a listening ear and could raise their worries without worrying about being judged.

The management team spoke about people in a caring and compassionate way, which demonstrated they knew people well and how to meet their needs. The registered manager and management team shared examples of how they had gone over and above their roles to show people they were cared for. This included making additional meals during Christmas to deliver to people who may not have one, the registered manager said, “Everyone should have a Christmas dinner.” A person said, “Sometimes I cannot get out and I phone and say I have no milk, and they will bring it, not all the time but I know that is there and it would never be a problem, they are a lifeline, wonderful.”

Without exception, feedback from people and relatives told us they felt the service they were provided with and the staff who supported them was exceptionally caring. A person told us, “I am happy with each and every one of them… if I ask them to do anything they will do it no problems, I feel they will do anything for me and care about me. Like the name Above and Beyond Care, that says it all. Even the bosses are lovely, every one of them are lovely.” Another person said, “They are excellent, so caring.”

A person said, “This is so different; personal, more caring [than previous care company] … this is a small family firm … good people, feels more informal with a small firm but more efficient at the same time. These are very good and I have had a lot of carers over the years; these are the most caring.”

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

Discussions with the management team demonstrated they had an excellent knowledge of the people who used the service. This included their care needs, preferences, how they wished to be treated, their specific ways of expressing themselves, how to communicate effectively with that person as a unique individual and what people wanted to achieve from the care they received. Whilst telling us about people’s individual needs, the management team demonstrated compassion and care for the service they delivered and for the people they provided a service for.

People’s care records included information including their life history, preferences and their diverse needs and how these affected their daily lives. Care was tailored to meet people’s needs and preferences.

The registered manager and management team told us they ensured staff who supported people with specific needs, were provided with training to meet their needs effectively. They shared examples of when they had sourced training for staff when people had diverse needs, this included with eating and drinking and continence equipment. The registered manager assured us if people started using the service, the staff who supported them would be trained to meet their specific needs. The management team were undertaking a distance learning course in a specific subject, and this was also offered to other staff, to ensure they had increased knowledge. They had also undertaken training in subjects such as learning disability, autism, dementia and diabetes. A social care professional told us, “I consider that they had a good understanding of my customer’s needs and did their best to meet them.”

A member of the management team told us how they matched staff with a person, as the person wanted staff who could style their hair in a certain way. They showed us a photograph of the person smiling because they had been provided with what they wanted. Another member of the management team told us how they had showed the person how to style their hair in a different way also. Another person had said they had wanted a food item cooked in a specific way which had been explained to a member of the management team, who had taught staff who were supporting them to do it how they liked it. Staff were given the opportunity to learn how to support a person with a wet shave in a team meeting, included shaving a balloon. Although the registered manager had told us how the majority of people preferred regular care workers, a member of the management team told us how a person liked to have a change now and then, and this was provided. The management team told us individual people had focus on the importance of ‘matching’ the staff with people as much as they could.

A person said, “They have got me back on track…more than happy, they have a good insight into me and what I need, listen to what I say always.” Another person told us, “I like them, I feel they are well focused on my needs. They are flexible and suggest things if needed, I appreciate that.” Another person said, “I am so grateful, I get anxious they are reassuring and I know I can talk to them and takes my anxiety so reassuring, I know they are coming and I can tell them what is worrying me.

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

People’s care plans included the areas of their care they could attend to independently and the areas they required support with. People told us their independence was always encouraged and respected.

The provider ensured people’s care plans included their preferences, which supported staff to deliver care that aligned with people’s choices, routines, and likes and dislikes. People were central to their care provision, and their preferences were valued in how the care was planned and delivered. Where people had requested a change, this was incorporated into their care plan, which demonstrated people were empowered to make decisions about their own lives and their independence and choice were always promoted and respected.

People and relatives told us they felt they were listened to and their choices were respected and acted on.

The management team recognised the impact isolation and loneliness could have on people’s wellbeing. Staff were encouraged to interact with people and this was confirmed in daily notes where staff had recorded their interactions, such as having a ‘nice chat’. A person told us they never felt rushed by staff and when their call visits went over time, this was not a problem and staff stayed as long as needed. They told us if they were satisfied the staff had supported them with what they needed and there was time in their care visit, they could have, “A cup of coffee and a chat, which I really enjoy.”

The registered manager told us how they had adapted a person’s visit times, after they had requested additional support, for example to attend appointments. This was being kept under review to ensure the person remained happy with the arrangements which were now allowing them choice and control over their care and support, and their needs were being met.

People’s independence was always being promoted and respected. A person told us, “[Staff] do respect my independence, encourage me, do not force me, but also do not take over. I like them.” Another person said, “I can make my own arrangements, but they help me if I want them to, definitely respect my independence and privacy, they are so good, they get things sorted for me.”

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.

There had been no missed visits since 2022, when there was only one. The management team told us this had been a rostering error; lessons were learned and there had been no more.

There were systems in place, if staff could not access a person in their home, for example they had not answered the door when this was the usual way of staff entry. This could indicate the person was in difficulty and may not be able to answer their door. If staff could not gain access to a person’s home, they were required to call the office, look around the home including through windows and the letterbox, office staff would call the person and their relatives, if available. If the person was not located this would be escalated to emergency services. In the event of this happening, staff could be running late for their next visits, the management team had systems to ensure people received their visits.

Daily notes showed support was provided to people when they were upset or anxious. For example, a person’s notes demonstrated how staff had provided reassurance for them prior to undergoing a medical procedure.

A person told us, “Funny you have just called me, I am just about to get ready to go a doctor’s appointment [registered manager] sorted for me, just demonstrates how they go the extra mile…they told me seen some changes and asked if they could make an appointment for me.”

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 told us they were trained and felt supported to meet the needs of people using the service. Staff told us they felt that whilst people were cared about, the staff were also. Staff shared examples of when the registered manager and management team had provided support both in work and when they were having personal issues. A staff member told us how the registered manager had reassured them, when they needed to take leave, that their visits would be covered and the issue was for the management not for them individually. A staff member said, “It is well led, if I have got any problems inside and outside work they will try to help, staff are looked after well… Caring? Definitely. They are a lovely bunch of people, help us when we have problems, clients are very happy, the company are good to work for.”

The registered manager told us how they took care to ensure staff members were considered when matching them with people using the service, including allergies and the layout of people’s homes.

The registered manager was compassionate about showing the staff they were appreciated and valued, this included the service’s traditional annual Christmas meal, Easter eggs, and taking coffee to a staff member who liked a specific brand. In addition, they shared examples of when they had provided support when staff were undergoing distressing events. The registered manager told us how many staff were long standing and how they rewarded long term service, to show they were appreciated. Staff were included in decisions about their uniforms and chose them.

We also received examples of when the registered manager had stepped in and spoke with a person using the service because they were speaking with a staff member in a manner which was upsetting.

The registered manager told us they employed ‘school hours’ positions to, “Open up opportunities for working parents.” We were told staff were consulted on the rota to ensure they were happy and had a work life balance. In addition, staff were offered the opportunity to work optional additional hours. If staff had used all of their leave but required time off, there was the option to do this within the scheduling process.