- Homecare service
The Willows Home Care North East
Report from 13 December 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 7 January to 5 February 2025. The Willows Home Care North East provides personal care for older and younger people who have physical health conditions and disabilities. At the time of the inspection 23 people used the service. Staff knew how to provide safe care. Staff understood people's needs and how to manage any presenting risks. The registered manager ensured the assessments were completed in a timely manner and were accurate. The care records clearly detailed people’s needs and were written in a person-centred manner. Staff managed medicines well. The registered manager promoted a learning culture. Staff had access to an extensive range of training, which included mandatory training such as using the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated code of practice guidance, and condition specific training. As part of the staff induction programme, they worked in the provider’s care home prior to moving to homecare so they could receive hands on learning about expected best practice as well as preparing and cooking nutritious meals. Staff found the training really supported them to provide the best care possible for the people who used the service. The registered manager ensured the quality assurance system they had in place was effective. They ensured the service put people first. They encouraged people to share their views and always looked to see what improvements could be made. We found recruitment practices were meeting requirements. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to meet people’s needs. The provider had a sponsorship scheme in place and ensured overseas workers were fully supported during their transition to the UK, including helping staff to understand the local cultural differences. Staff consistently reported the registered manager was approachable and really encouraged them to go the extra mile.
People's experience of this service
People were extremely positive about the quality of the care. People and relatives told us they found staff were very caring and supportive. They felt staff often went the extra mile to ensure their needs were met. A person said, “The care I receive is exemplary. The carers are so thoughtful, caring and respectful. Nothing is a problem.” People and relatives felt staff encouraged them to be as independent as possible. Staff told us some people wanted to maintain their dignity and not have relatives seem them needing support with their personal care, so they went before anyone else in their households woke up. People felt safe and their dignity and human rights were fully promoted. They were encouraged to make decisions. People and their relatives told us about the positive impact the service had had on their lives. A person said, “I don’t have the words to explain how delighted I am with every part of the service. I feel a real sense of happiness and that’s because I am safe and secure due to the consistency of the excellent care.” A relative said, “[Person’s name] really gets on with the staff and they can always persuade them to do things, whereas [person’s name] won’t when I ask. I really rely on them to help me make sure [person’s name] looks after their personal care and enjoys the day.” People told us they felt listened to and consulted around how their care and support should be provided. People and relatives felt staff were competent and knowledgeable. People felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken if they did. A relative said, “I’ve not had any concerns, whenever I’ve raised an issue [registered manager’s name] has passed this on to [person’s name] carers and they make the relevant changes. When I’ve needed to change the care package they’ve also helped and were even able to put in an evening call when [person’s name] wanted to go to evening events and needed support to get to bed later. I can’t fault them at all on this.”