Chesterfield Home Care Ltd Also known as Home Instead

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 good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Records reviewed and discussions with staff consistently demonstrated a genuine culture of kindness. Staff spoke warmly and respectfully about the people they supported. Interactions described by staff reflected a commitment to treating people with dignity, respect and empathy, ensuring they felt valued and listened to.

People and relatives spoke highly of care professionals who worked with them. Feedback included, “[Staff] have a caring attitude about them, lovely, respectful and friendly.”, “[Staff] are conscientious in whatever they do for me”, “They are very kind, couldn’t do without them. I have got a carer who has the gentlest hands on my legs. So caring and careful”. And “They are very much aware of life changes, they are sympathetic and empathetic.”

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.

Care plans detailed personalised information about individual preferences, helping to ensure support was tailored to what mattered most to people. For example, one person's care plan described how they liked to dye and style their hair, the clothes they preferred to wear and the perfume they chose, enabling staff to support them in maintaining their personal identity. Care plans also reflected people's cultural and religious beliefs. For example, some care plans highlighted the importance of showing manners and respect in line with a person's beliefs and values.

People benefited from being supported by regular teams of staff who knew them well. This continuity enabled staff to develop meaningful relationships and understanding of people's preferences and routines.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Care was delivered in a way that encouraged people to make their own decisions and remain actively involved in choices about their care.

People and their relatives felt independence was promoted. Feedback included, “I know they encourage [person] to do what they can do before intervening. They try to get [person] to make a decision, encourage them on where they would like to go. Staff make a list of places [person] might like to go to.” And, “[Staff] always check with me what help I want. It's all about my choice. If I don't want a shower, they will gently try to persuade me but accept what I want”

The service promoted people's independence through meaningful community engagement and participation in activities of their choosing. For example, support to the cinema, restaurants, parks and day trips out.

Staff shared examples of how they supported people to achieve greater independence and improve their wellbeing. One staff member told us, “I have seen clients heal very well from back pain to now putting on their own socks independently. This has been wonderful to witness as they were battling with back pain due to sitting all day in their recliners. I encouraged them to move about during the day and also used heat packs in one instance. They have subsequently regained strength and now are able to put on their socks without my assistance.”

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.

People and relatives told us the provider responded flexibly to changes in needs and preferences. Feedback included, “Yes, they are pretty flexible, depending on rotas and staff availability, but they do try to meet my needs, yes.” The registered manager explained how one person’s care calls were scheduled around their preferences for timings, particular staff members and family member availability. A professional told us, “The service demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness in supporting individuals’ changing needs.”

The service operated an on-call system which provided access to timely management support outside of normal office hours. Additionally, the use of live call monitoring allowed for oversight of care delivery in real time. This helped to ensure people received their planned care reliably, responding promptly to any issues.

Staff knew people well and were able to recognise changes that additional support might be required, allowing them to respond quickly and appropriately. One person explained, “Carers understand I need a little help and know when to offer me some support. I’ve been trained to watch for signs that I need assistance.”

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.

Staff were known within the organisation as, ‘care professionals,’ and their wellbeing was a clear priority. Robust arrangements were in place to support staff, including regular welfare checks for lone workers, coffee mornings and employee assistance programmes to ensure staff felt safe and connected. Staff told us they felt supported by managers and could access advice and assistance whenever needed.

Leaders had created a positive, inclusive and values-driven culture where both people using the service and staff were equally valued. The provider told us, “We are really proud of what we do. We work hard and at pace to make sure everything is right for both our clients and our care professionals. For us, it isn't just about the clients; our care professionals are just as important.” This ethos was embedded throughout the service and was reflected in the way staff were supported, recognised and encouraged to thrive in their roles.

Staff were celebrated and rewarded for their contributions through a variety of benefits, incentives and recognition initiatives. For example, a 'Praiseworthy' scheme, nominated and recognised staff for demonstrating outstanding care and going above and beyond in their roles. Good practice and positive feedback was celebrated, helping to reinforce the service's values, boost morale and inspire others.

We received consistent positive feedback from staff about their experience working at the service. One staff member said, “I just love working here. I feel so comfortable.”

The focus on staff wellbeing, recognition and professional fulfilment had created a highly motivated workforce that was committed to achieving positive outcomes for people.