Whispers Care Solutions Limited

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• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence the provider met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People and relatives told us they were involved in developing and reviewing care plans. They said they were happy with the quality of care and staff delivered support in line with their preferences and daily routines.

The provider ensured care was personalised to each person’s needs, preferences and circumstances. Care plans were concise and clearly outlined the support required with personal care, including key tasks for each visit, following people’s preferred routines. Staff knew people well and responded promptly to minimise discomfort, concern or distress. They understood individuals’ preferences and allowed people to lead their care. One staff member told us, “When someone I care for is unhappy and wants their concern taken seriously, my support can make a huge difference.”

Staff received training in positive behaviour support. For people with more complex behavioural needs, staff said care plans clearly set out the strategies they should use. They described working to understand the reasons behind behaviours and creating positive environments that reduced triggers. This approach supported people effectively, particularly in community settings, enabling them to live full lives and safely access the activities and facilities they chose. One staff member said, “It is really important to understand the person to understand what their behaviour is trying to communicate. This is because people may not be able to process or verbally express what is happening, so it manifests in challenging behaviour.”

Care plans recorded what mattered to each person, including life history, cultural beliefs and important relationships. Staff told us that promoting people’s wellbeing was central to their role, noting that people were more likely to engage with care when they felt happy and comfortable. Staff accessed care information through the electronic care planning system, which set out key tasks and helped ensure people consistently received the care they needed.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Most people told us they received care at consistent times and from regular staff teams. They said staff stayed for the full duration of visits and completed all planned care tasks. People also reported they could request changes to their care, and the provider adjusted schedules flexibly to accommodate their wishes. People’s daily care records reflected that care was delivered at consistent times by familiar staff.

Systems were in place to support continuity and consistency. Supernumerary staff were available to respond to emergencies or provide additional cover. Care rotas were templated and planned in advance. Staff told us they worked within support teams, which helped them build positive relationships, consistency in approach and a shared understanding of people’s needs.

Senior staff considered staff skills, experience and compatibility when allocating them to care packages. They also took account of people’s preferences to ensure staff were well matched to individuals.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People told us they received the information they needed about their care, including schedules detailing planned care call times and allocated staff. The provider demonstrated a clear understanding of the Accessible Information Standard and had policies to ensure people received information in formats they could access and understand. Care plans documented each person’s communication needs and any adjustments required. For people unable to communicate verbally, staff used communication tools people were familiar to support them to express their wishes.

The provider had identified opportunities to improve engagement with people who had complex communication needs. The registered manager planned to work with individuals using their existing communication aids to enhance involvement in assessments, care planning and reviews. This included adapting pictorial resources already people used in their everyday life. These improvements aimed to strengthen people’s participation and ensure their voices were fully heard.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas or raise complaints about their care and support. The provider involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The provider had a complaints policy describing how concerns would be managed. Only three low‑level complaints had been recorded. Records we reviewed reflected the provider responded promptly and took appropriate action to resolve each issue. People told us they had not needed to raise significant concerns and felt senior staff listened and acted quickly on feedback, preventing escalation.

Senior staff maintained regular contact with people and their families. Senior staff were the first point of contact for any initial concerns, with senior leaders available for escalation. This ensured a clear, structured process for handling concerns, complaints and general feedback. The provider sought feedback from people and relatives through review meetings, informal visits, phone calls and quality assurance surveys. The most recent quarterly survey showed positive feedback about staffing consistency, staff quality and communication with senior staff. Senior leaders reviewed the feedback and shared it with staff. This ensured feedback was used effectively to drive improvements in the quality of care.

People and relatives could access the electronic care planning system to view care notes. The registered manager told us this supported early identification of changes in people’s needs, as relatives could identify trends that staff might not have noticed. Appropriate consent processes ensured relatives accessed records only where information sharing had been agreed.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The provider worked with people to ensure they had equity in access to healthcare services. For example, where people were reluctant to engage with services due to self-neglect, staff worked patiently and pro-actively with people and external stakeholders to encourage and support them to access the services they needed. This helped to promote equitable access to services and positive health outcomes.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

The provider had equality and diversity policies in place, which had been developed in line with The Equality Act 2010. Staff had received training in equality and diversity and had a good understanding of promoting fairness, empathy and understanding of people’s individual needs.

People told us they did not suffer any discrimination in relation to equity in access, experience or outcomes. People’s care plans included details around people’s protected characteristics and how to ensure care was not a barrier to people receiving fair treatment.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

The provider engaged with people about their preferences and choices for their future care arrangements. The registered manager told us they held early, proactive conversations with people about their wishes should they require end‑of‑life care. This ensured any advance decisions were recorded and respected. Care plans reflected people’s preferences and were updated as their needs changed.

The provider had achieved accreditation under the Gold Standards Framework in 2025. The Gold Standards Framework is a nationally recognised approach designed to improve the quality of end-of-life care. The registered manager told us they were proud of this achievement and remained committed to maintaining the accreditation. The registered manager had an in-depth knowledge about the principles and challenges involved in delivering end of life care in community settings. The provider worked in partnership with relevant professionals to ensure end‑of‑life care was coordinated and responsive. Staff understood their roles and knew when to seek additional support, helping people remain at home during their final days if that was their preference.

Staff told us they received training in end‑of‑life care and felt supported by senior staff when working in these situations. This helped them deliver care to a good standard.