My Carer

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 changed to Good.

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

This service scored 80 (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 at respecting people's privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff and managers felt strongly about ensuring people were treated with dignity and respect. This was reflected in the feedback we received from people and their relatives. One relative told us, “It's the little things they do, [staff member] knows [family member] really well. [Staff] will always do the little things that go unsaid that are important. [Family member] is never made to feel awkward or a problem.” Another relative told us, “Staff do seem to genuinely care.”

People told us staff respected their privacy and dignity when providing care and support. One person told us, “They always make sure my dignity is maintained when helping me wash and get dressed. They are very respectful and never make me feel embarrassed.” A relative said, “The staff are very discreet and always make sure [family members] privacy is respected during personal care.”

One person said, “We have a good laugh and a joke. Light-hearted and joyful all the time,” demonstrating the positive and personalised relationships they had developed with staff.

People also told us they were supported by staff who knew them well, and there was consistency in who provided their care, which helped them feel comfortable and reassured. One person told us, “I know them all well…They look after me, I look after them.”

Another person told us, “The only thing I can say is I've had different carers in the past, 'my carer' I say, are by far the best I ever seen, they have a friendly approach. They don't just come, do the job and go. They support you, above and beyond, all the time. I feel like they treat me like I'm their bestest friend there ever was. There aren't too many carers that would come on their day off to bring me a little gift, one of them saw a jam I liked and got it for me. I was amazed they did this for me.”

Feedback consistently demonstrated staff formed meaningful and trusting relationships with people, treating them with kindness, compassion and respect while ensuring their privacy and dignity were maintained.

The provider treated people as individuals and ensured their care, support and treatment reflected their needs and preferences. They took account of people's strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People told us staff knew them well and tailored support to their individual needs and preferences. One person said, “I am at my worst in the morning. They always make me feel safe and give me reassurance. [Staff] tell me I'm doing well and, if I need anything else, they tell the office.”

People were supported to make choices and maintain their independence wherever possible. One person told us, “Despite being in bed, I do a lot myself,” and explained staff ensured items such as books and activities were always within reach when requested. This enabled people to remain independent and continue activities important to them.

Staff supported people to maintain important aspects of their lives, including their faith, beliefs and personal preferences. For example, one staff member identified that a person wished to continue attending church and worked with the office team to adjust visit times so they could do so. In another example, staff arranged for church representatives to visit a bed-bound person in their home after they expressed how much they missed attending services.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of what mattered most to people and adapted support to reflect their individual circumstances, preferences and wishes, helping people to maintain their identity, independence and wellbeing.

The provider promoted people's independence, so they had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff understood the importance of promoting independence and encouraging people to do as much as possible for themselves. One staff member told us, "If the only thing your client can do in a visit is one button, then you should allow them to do that."

People told us staff recognised their abilities and supported them in ways which maximised their independence. One person said, "They do indeed. They know my capabilities; they never take anything away from me but are always behind me in case I need or ask for help." This meant people remained actively involved in their care and were supported to maintain their independence.

Staff respected people's choices and preferences and adapted support to meet their individual wishes. People told us they were encouraged to make decisions about their daily lives and were supported in ways that reflected what was important to them.

Staff recognised the importance of people's interests, hobbies and wellbeing. One person told us how staff regularly complimented their colouring activities, helping them feel valued and encouraged. Staff understood that meaningful conversations were an important part of person-centred care. One staff member told us, "For some clients the conversing with us is the only social interaction they get, so is super important. It makes clients feel valued, cared about and still part of society."

Staff promoted people's wellbeing by supporting them to remain engaged in activities they enjoyed and by encouraging opportunities for social interaction, helping people maintain their independence, confidence and sense of control over their lives.

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.

Staff had a good understanding of people's individual needs and were committed to ensuring these were met. They responded promptly and appropriately when people's needs changed or when urgent support was required. One person told us, “I became seriously ill, they dialled 999, they waited with me out of the call time until I was with the ambulance crew.” This demonstrated staff's commitment to ensuring people received timely support and reassurance during emergency situations.

Staff recognised when people's needs changed and understood their responsibilities to report concerns and seek additional support when required. One staff member told us, “Incident can be raised [via electronic support app]. I also will telephone the office with it too.”

Daily records were completed following visits to ensure staff remained aware of any changes in people's health, wellbeing or support needs. This helped staff provide consistent care and respond promptly to changing circumstances.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the importance of responding flexibly to people's needs and ensuring concerns were acted upon without delay, helping people feel safe, supported and listened to.

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

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to workforce wellbeing and promoted a culture where staff felt valued, respected and supported to perform their roles effectively. Staff told us they felt well supported by the registered manager, who was approachable and available when guidance was needed. One staff member told us, “On the whole, yes. I think that it has been hard though…it’s been tricky at times to put in place what I think should happen…I have had a few discussions in the last couple of months about what I feel we should be doing to maintain a high standard here, and that is all coming together now.”

Another staff member told us, “The manager doesn’t just care about people but about us as well, they want us to be safe” and “I feel really supported by both the management, office staff and fellow carers.”

The provider encouraged an open culture where staff felt confident to raise concerns and share feedback. One staff member told us, “My Carer tries to have monthly meetings, but obviously issues like sickness may affect it. They schedule more than one at different points, so it enables every carer to get there around their rota. It gets added to our rota, so we know when to attend. We discuss any problems that have occurred.”

Staff had access to training and development opportunities. Two staff members told us they were being supported to complete Level 2 qualifications in Health and Social Care. Staff described the workplace as positive and inclusive and felt the provider invested in their wellbeing, professional development and ability to provide high-quality person-centred care.

Staff consistently told us they felt listened to and valued by the management team, which helped create a positive working environment and enabled them to focus on delivering good-quality care to people.