Assist Care Group - Surrey

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• 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 changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (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 in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The provider consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion. Respect for people's privacy, dignity and individuality was fully embedded within the culture of the service and consistently reflected in the experiences shared by people, relatives and professionals. The nominated individual said, “Our ambition is not simply to achieve a rating. Our ambition is for every colleague, every process, and every decision to withstand one simple question: Would this be good enough for my loved one? If the answer is yes, we continue. If the answer is no, we improve. Because caring for people when they are at their most vulnerable is both an honour and a privilege, and with that privilege comes a responsibility that extends far beyond regulatory compliance.”

Staff adapted and extended their shifts at short notice to support people who experienced acute illness. One person told us how staff had comforted them when they needed it most, “I had a stroke not that long ago and they got the ambulance and waited with me while the ambulance was coming.” In the most recent provider information return (PIR), the provider discussed how they had supported a person and their family with care and compassion when their health needs deteriorated suddenly. They told us, “During sudden end-of-life events, staff liaised with paramedics, guided families and ensured no one was left unsupported in moments of distress.”

Relatives described staff as compassionate, responsive and willing to do whatever was needed to support people. One relative told us, “[My relative] has been looked after by Assist Care Group since 2007 and has 4 care visits per day. I have nothing but absolute praise for them in all aspects of their care. They are outstanding.” Another relative said, “[Staff] are perfectly professional; they talk to [my relative] and ensure they have everything [they] need.” Another family member wrote to staff and said, “Thank you for taking such exceptional care of someone so important to my family and me.” A peer-to-peer testimonial praised the compassion of the staff team and described the care given to an older person with deteriorating healthcare needs. They said, “The support delivered was dignified, compassionate and person-centred, supported by an effective assessment process, strong communication and a dedicated staff team.”

Staff spoke with pride about delivering dignified and compassionate care which demonstrated a clear understanding of the provider’s values and how to implement them in their day-to-day work. One staff member said, “I believe good care starts with treating people as individuals rather than simply completing tasks. Staff communicate respectfully, involve people in decisions about their care and provide privacy during personal care.” Another staff member said, “The company has an excellent culture of providing staff with all the necessary information about the customer in their care plan, so all staff are aware of their personal histories, backgrounds or goals.” This reflected a strong consistently applied ethos to empower people and uphold their individuality and was further corroborated by former staff who had chosen Assist Care Group -Surrey to care for them or their loved ones.

Staff were clear about the providers vision and expectations of the support they provided and demonstrated kindness and respect in their interactions with colleagues and partner organisations, promoting positive and collaborative working relationships. Staff provided clear examples of how they promoted dignity and privacy whilst supporting people with personal care, and relatives confirmed staff treated people with respect. This helped people feel comfortable, valued and supported in a way that respected their choices, preferences and individuality. A person told us, “[Staff] treat me with respect, they close the door when I am in the shower. They are really nice carers. They treat me like an adult, like a human.”

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.

Discussions with the management team, observations of care, and feedback from staff demonstrated a culture where people were known and valued as individuals. People’s care plans were personalised and contained information about their individual wishes and preferences. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and wishes and treated them as individuals. A person said, “They are very good, very respectful, they know me better than I know myself. They know everything about me.”

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 encouraged to make decisions about their care and were involved in discussions about how support was provided. Care records evidenced that people had flexibility and choice regarding the support they received. They demonstrated a strong focus on promoting independence and supporting people to do as much as possible for themselves while remaining safe.

Where necessary, equipment was available to people in their own homes to ensure their safety. Regular communication was evidenced between the provider and other agencies, for example occupational therapists to ensure any changes in needs were shared.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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 and support that was highly responsive to changes in their needs and circumstances. We saw examples where the provider identified concerns promptly and took timely action to ensure people received the support they required. A professional told us, “I am consistently satisfied with the service which operates under the complexities of [the local network]. Assist Care immediately responds to requests for updates and issues and always does their best to accommodate.”

Staff recognised when people required additional support to maintain their wellbeing and comfort. For example, one person told us how their staffing allocation had been amended after a hospital stay to ensure they had the right support in accordance with their needs. A relative spoke about the support their loved one had been given during a change in their health need, “[Staff] were really good, they came in at short notice and [my relative] liked them, they were always on time but were flexible with their times if [my relative] requested it. I felt totally confident with them.”

Staff were encouraged to report changes in people's health, wellbeing or circumstances and were confident these would be acted upon in a timely manner. This was reflected in records we reviewed, which showed concerns being escalated promptly and appropriate action being taken. One relative told us, “They go above and beyond and liaise with district nurses, paramedics and the GP. They will pop round to the chemist straightaway if [my relatives] medications have changed.”

The provider had developed a ‘report to support process’ which enabled staff to escalate concerns in a timely way to ensure that information was triaged and governance was managed in real time. The nominated individual described this and said, “Every visit also provides an opportunity to improve care. Through our Report to Support function, frontline carers can communicate directly with our support team whilst still in the community. Whether a person's condition has changed, medication is running low, concerns have arisen, or an incident has occurred, the information is immediately triaged to the appropriate member of the management team. We want our carers to know that they are never managing concerns alone.”

People told us staff were easy to contact and responsive to their needs. They felt confident concerns would be listened to and acted upon. The nominated individual attributed this responsiveness to the well-established system they used to manage and escalate concerns. They told us, “We do not operate an on-call service. Instead, throughout every hour care is being delivered, a designated responsible person [as part of their working week] is actively responsible for the service, supported by Assist Intelligence, which provides live operational oversight, triage, escalation and handover.” This meant that staff were supported by leaders who were not managing on-call telephone calls outside of their normal working hours. The nominated individual told us, “Our model is designed so that responsibility is already active: the responsible person is working, information is being surfaced/accessible in real time, and the person accountable for the service has oversight whilst care is actually taking place.” We saw the positive impact this had on the care people received. One relative said, “They are well organised and if [my relative] is discharged late at night from hospital, they will always make sure [they are] safe and [they have] a carer waiting for [them]. I have never been disappointed in how they have dealt with a situation. I would give them 10/10.” In other examples, we saw how people had been supported through acute periods of ill health to get the right care and treatment in a timely manner.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting staff wellbeing, development and professional growth. Staff consistently spoke positively about the support they received from leaders and described a culture where they felt valued, listened to and respected.

Staff well-being was prioritised through mental health support, such as access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and flexible working arrangements during challenging times. Staff told us they had regular opportunities to provide feedback, raise concerns or suggest ways to improve the service and their experience. A staff member told us, “I have worked for Assist Care Group for 17 years. [The manager and nominated individual] are very approachable and always do their best to answer any questions or deal with any concerns you have. It is a pleasure to work for them. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme, which we are encouraged to use if needed.”

The provider offered support to staff when they experienced challenges in their day-to day role. For example, in the most recent provider information return (PIR) the provider explained, “When a staff member experienced threatening and intimidating behaviour from a resident in a supported housing scheme, we acted immediately. A welfare check was completed, support provided to the staff member, and the environmental risk assessment updated so the team were aware of potential risks and how to escalate concerns. This reinforced our commitment to a safe, respectful environment for both individuals and workforce.”

The provider had effective systems in place to support and develop staff. We saw evidence of regular staff meetings, supervision, support visits, and competency assessments. This meant people were supported by staff who felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. Staff told us they had a sense of belonging and the ability to contribute meaningfully to decision making. One staff member told us, “The [nominated individual] is very passionate about supporting the staff. [Their] ethos is that if you look after your staff then your staff will look after your customers. This is reflected in the way [they are] continually trying to improve the support given to staff. I feel that I am valued for my years of experience and knowledge.”

The manager promoted an open culture and regularly encouraged staff to speak up, including raising concerns where necessary. They told us, “I am a hands-on manager. I work with staff to overcome any issues and look at how I can support them the best I can.” This was corroborated by staff feedback who praised the support and commitment the manager showed to their wellbeing. One staff member said, “Our Manager has a hands-on approach and is very aware of all issues that may arise. [They] act very quickly to any issues and will raise an event and ensure that it is followed through until a resolution is reached. [They] constantly check on staffing issues, times of calls and any other issues raised by the staff or [people].”

Staff were committed to the organisation, and we saw that staff retention was exceptional. The nominated individual told us, “One of the most meaningful indicators of quality is not found in a policy or an audit. It is found in the people who choose to stay. The staff within Assist Care Group have built careers here. Across our entire organisation, our average length of service is 7.87 years, and others have [more than 10 or 20 years] of service. In a sector where workforce turnover is one of its greatest challenges, I am immensely proud of those figures. They are not simply years of employment. They represent decades of relationships, experience, continuity and trust, built with colleagues, [people] and families alike.”