A south London domiciliary care service has been rated Outstanding overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The previous rating published in May 2017 was Good.
Home Instead Senior Care, Wandsworth, Lambeth & Dulwich, was rated Outstanding for being caring and well-led. It was rated Good for being safe, effective and responsive.
CQC found the service, which provides personal care to people living in their own homes, was exceptional at promoting people’s independence so they could continue to enjoy their lives.
One relative said: "In the evening my family member helps to prepare meals. That's what the family wants. The carer has taught my family member to do this over time and to cook more efficiently. It is beyond their job description".
Another relative gave an example of how their loved one had resisted the family's attempts to go out of the house and to socialise but with the encouragement of a carer had regained the confidence and independence to start going to a dementia cafe. They said: "We noticed how visiting the club had seemed to lift their mood and raised her self-esteem, giving her the confidence to venture out where before she would not. The family are delighted with Home Instead's efforts to help in this way."
One health professional said: "Beyond its role as caregiver Home Instead is an integral part of the wider landscape of health and social care services, not only providing support to people in their homes, but seriously improving provision for people in the community, which meshes greatly with broader work around social prescribing and encouraging independence."
The provider was a strong advocate for people and supported them to access external services that would be of benefit to them, this went beyond signposting people to other agencies. For example, the service had registered with Thames Water so people using the service would get priority support in the case of a loss of service.
The director was passionate about community engagement and was a major advocate in promoting and raising awareness about dementia in the community. He said: "It's very important for us to be engaged within the community."
The provider had been a key player in setting up and funding a dementia café in Lambeth in partnership with Age UK Lambeth and the Alzheimer's Society. This was openly available, without charge to all people and their carers in the community. There were plans in place to start a second one in Dulwich.
The director was a member of Lambeth Dementia Action Alliance (DAA), a network aimed at bringing organisations together to improve the health and social care of people living with dementia and their carers. One professional told us, "The director has worked tirelessly and enthusiastically to raise awareness about dementia in the local community and he was an early supporter of the newly developing DAA.
People and their relatives thought the service was outstanding and extremely well managed. Feedback about all areas of the service was overwhelmingly positive. Some of the comments included: "I think it is extremely well managed. The director is an excellent business manager and employs extremely good managers to do the caring side of things"; "I would give them 110% they are just wonderful." and "They are so good, we can't praise them enough."
Alison Murray, Head of Inspection for Adult Social Care in London, said:
“Home Instead Senior Care, Wandsworth, Lambeth & Dulwich, has continued to improve. At CQC’s last inspection it was rated Good overall and now it is Outstanding, a tribute to the hard work of management and staff.
“I was particularly impressed with the setting up and funding of a dementia café in Lambeth in partnership with Age UK Lambeth and the Alzheimer's Society.”
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Home Instead Senior Care, Wandsworth, Lambeth & Dulwich, has continued to improve. At CQC’s last inspection it was rated Good overall and now it is Outstanding, a tribute to the hard work of management and staff.
Alison Murray, Head of Inspection for Adult Social Care in London