The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Care By Us Ltd - North London & West Hertfordshire

Elstree House, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1SD (020) 8099 8276

Provided and run by:
Care By Us Ltd

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

30 January and 3 March 2014

During a routine inspection

We visited the offices of Care by Us Limited on 30 January 2014 to look at records and speak with members of staff. 61 questionnaires were sent out people who use the service. We were informed that before anybody was accepted for service, a home visit was undertaken by the customer care manager to discuss the persons needs in depth with them and their representatives.

Signed consent was given for the provision of care by the person receiving the care or their representative. Completed consent forms were placed within the person's care plans. We spoke with care workers who stated that they explain to people what they needed to do before they ask for consent.

Overall people were happy with the care received. One person stated that "the care workers are friendly and able to have conversation", and a home carer stated that "care workers care about their client and tell me of any problems and I can ask for advice based on their experience. The senior carers are good at spotting potential problems". However concerns were raised about the timeliness of carers when visiting people.

We saw that staff had annual appraisal meetings where specific training and development needs are discussed. A less formal drop in system for carers is also in place where carers can come to the session to discuss any concerns with a member of the management team on a less formal basis.

Quality assurance questionnaires were completed and analysed. Records are completed and up to date.

25 July 2012

During a routine inspection

People we spoke with were generally satisfied with the service and the care provided. A person commented, 'I am very satisfied with the service. I have no complaints.' Another person said, 'The workers are very good. I am very pleased with them.' A person commented, 'I am happy with the carers; they are very good.'

People we spoke with felt very involved in planning their care package, and said that they knew who to phone if the care worker was late.

A relative we spoke with said that they were very pleased with the service, that the service was 'excellent', and that they considered themselves 'very lucky' to have found this agency.

When asked about the care workers, a relative commented, 'The staff are very, very good; they are respectful; they act in a very professional way; they are very discreet, when we have visitors in the house; they wear gloves and a plastic apron when they do personal care; and there are always two people to do the hoisting.'

A couple of relatives had commented that there had been occasions when the care workers had not arrived on time, but apart from that they had commented that the care provided had been 'very good.' We were told that the care workers had always recorded the visit in the care notes, and had been polite and respectful.