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Service praised for 'outstanding' personalised care

Alex PopeNorthamptonshire
Home Instead A group of women, standing outside a building, all smiling and looking at the camera. A few are holding up signs. They are by a red brick building, with blue framed windows and a door and a large bush is outside the building, in front of the women. Home Instead
The CQC says Home Instead is a "supportive company that helps local older people live safely, independently, and with dignity in their own homes"

A care service that helps and supports older people in their homes has been rated as "outstanding" by a health inspector.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Home Instead, in Northampton, was "consistently delivering care that genuinely made a difference to people's lives".

It said it provided care in a "personalised way" across Northamptonshire, including additional weekend visits to prepare batches of home-cooked food.

Sandra Morison, from the business, said it was the second time it had been given the highest rating, "achieved by only 3% of home care companies" - and praised her team for their "dedication and hard work".

The report found each person was supported by a small, consistent team, who built "strong, trusting relationships and ensured continuity of care".

Staff also visited people when they were in hospital to ensure continuity and support during an "unsettling time".

"The service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to treating people with kindness, compassion, and dignity, with a culture that consistently placed people at the heart of care."

Home Instead A large group of women celebrating, with their arms out and holding signs. They are all in front of a building. Home Instead
Sandra Morison said: "I couldn't be prouder to see our team approach their work with such enthusiasm and sincerity"

Greg Rielly, the CQC's deputy director of adult social care in the East Midlands, said: "Relatives told us the support meant they could focus on being a family member again, rather than a carer.

"What stood out was how staff took the time to build strong relationships with the people they supported."

It drove innovation and "designed a workshop to help staff better understand the experience of living with dementia, helping them deliver more compassionate, sensitive care", he added.

One person told inspectors "the staff are lovely, they make me laugh".

Training was described as "excellent" and inspectors said it fostered "a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard".

Morison, a registered care manager, said: "Over the years, we've seen the difference it makes to receive care from someone you have bonded with, and that's why we place such a focus on relationship-led care.

"As we get older, we all deserve to maintain independence and those community connections we enjoy, and that's why it plays an important role in our care plans."

She said she was "delighted to be recognised for all of this and many more things".

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