Alina Homecare Walton on Thames

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 remained Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (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 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 experienced care that was compassionate, respectful and dignified. Staff took time to reassure people, protect their privacy and build trusting relationships, helping people to feel comfortable, valued and respected.

Staff described how they promoted people’s dignity during care. One staff member told us, “I always cover all areas of the body during personal care. I will speak with him in a kind manner and do my job whilst chatting and before anyone realises the job is done which doesn’t make it embarrassing for the client or uncomfortable.” This demonstrated that staff adapted the way they delivered care to preserve people’s privacy and dignity.

Staff told us they had sufficient time to build positive relationships with people which supported people to receive care that was person-centred and compassionate rather than task focused. One staff member told us, “As I do long (care) calls, I have more than enough time to have conversations and build relationships.”

People and their relatives consistently spoke positively about the kindness of staff. One relative told us, “I really like their level of engagement. I think as a family member watching the way they interact with my mum. The carers have the patience of a saint, and it often feels like they are more devoted to my mum than me.” Another relative said, “They are very kind.”

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 received care that reflected their individual needs, preferences and choices. Staff understood what was important to people and adapted the care they provided to meet their wishes.

Care records contained personalised information to guide staff in delivering individualised care. For example, 1 person had requested support from female staff only. Records confirmed this preference was consistently respected.

Staff adapted the support they provided to encourage the person to eat in a way that suited their preferences and abilities. For example, a relative told us, “Mum isn’t great with her food at the moment, she does have a whole box of snacks, however. One thing that I have found really good is that the carers will look for nice inventive ways to try and make mum eat. They have started to make small finger portions like little sandwiches.”

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

People were supported to make choices about their care and continue doing as much as possible for themselves. Staff respected people’s preferences and promoted independence in ways that enhanced their wellbeing and quality of life.

Staff described how they promoted choice in people’s day to day lives. One staff member told us, “I always offer options. For example, during a meal, I will ask them to follow me to the kitchen if they are able where I will ask them what they would like. If a client doesn’t want to have a shower, then I can break it down by washing their hair one day and a body wash the next day. I give them all available options.”

Care records contained personalised information about what people could do independently and how staff should support them to maintain these skills. One person’s care plan detailed that they wished to continue managing their own catheter care, personal care and medication wherever possible, with staff providing support only when needed.

People were encouraged and supported to be as independent as possible. Staff knew each person's abilities and encouraged them to do as much as they could for themselves. For example, 1 person was supported with their morning personal care by being given a flannel to wash themselves, while staff provided help only where needed, such as with dressing. One staff member told us, “I assist him to dress. For example, I will help with his arms in a shirt but he will button it up himself.”

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.

People received care that was responsive to their immediate needs. Staff understood how to recognise changes in people’s condition and adapted the care they provided to ensure people remained comfortable and supported.

Care records demonstrated that people’s support was regularly reviewed and adjusted to reflect their changing needs. One person’s care package had gradually reduced as they recovered from an operation, showing the service responded to improvements in a person’s independence and wellbeing.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of how to respond to people who were unable to communicate their needs verbally. One staff member told us, “The lady I see is completely bedridden and end-of-life and speaks very quietly. I find it amazing how much I can understand by looking at a client’s facial expression and her eyes. I will be more gentle if I feel a client is in pain."

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider offered a 24-hour confidential helpline which staff could access for counselling, financial advice, childcare support and legal information.

All staff completed a health declaration, and senior management told us they worked with staff to provide support where this was needed. The provider recognised the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff and told us they placed a strong focus on supporting their workforce.

Senior management told us they aimed to recruit managers who were friendly, approachable and passionate about supporting staff. They monitored staff turnover and recruitment levels to identify any issues and improve staff retention. Senior management said, "It is good to have a robust team with flexibility."

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the registered manager. One member of staff told us, "I think I'm very well treated by my boss and have a lot of respect for the registered manager.”

Access to wellbeing services and supportive managers helped staff feel able to raise concerns and seek help when needed. This contributed to a positive culture, improved staff retention and helped ensure people received care from a stable and committed workforce.