Archived: Thames Valley Care at Home

One relative told us, 'They (staff) asked if he would like a male carer but he didn't'. This meant the care received reflected people's needs, preferences and diversity.

One staff member commented, 'I would report any concerns to my line manager.' One person told us, 'I would report it if I had been mistreated.' This meant staff and people who used the service understood the aspects of the safeguarding processes that were relevant to them.

We reviewed the supervision meeting notes for the staff we spoke with. We saw these provided opportunity for staff to reflect upon their skills and personal development, feedback any concerns and present new ideas. This meant supervisory arrangements were in place to ensure staff were supported and managed at all times.

One person commented, 'They (staff) would come and visit me every six months and ask for feedback and send out questionnaires.' This showed the service sought feedback from people who used the service and responded to them.

People told us care staff were friendly and respectful. They said they were satisfied with the care they received and agreed care staff followed the care plan in terms of what was to be done and how. Comments seen in the latest annual satisfaction survey included; "I am very happy with the service", "I receive good care" and "The staff are always very polite and helpful".

Two of the people we had conversations with expressed some frustration over the inconsistent timing of some calls. However they were also positive about the actual standard of care experienced.

We spoke with three local authority commissioners of care who told us they were satisfied with the quality of care they found. They told us they monitored the standard of care provided to the people they were responsible for. They found Thames Valley Care at Home responsive to any concerns raised with them. People who received a care service told us they were asked for their views of the service at least annually.

We found the provider had a robust recruitment process in place.