A domiciliary care agency in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, has been rated outstanding following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
CQC inspected Right at Home Borehamwood and Watford in May. The service provides personal care to people in their own homes and was supporting 19 people at the time of inspection.
The inspection found that people using the service benefitted from outstanding care that had changed their lives for the better, enabling them to live fulfilling and happy lives.
Following the inspection, Right at Home Borehamwood and Watford was rated outstanding overall and outstanding for being caring, responsive and well-led. It was rated good for being safe and effective.
Matthew Jenkins, CQC head of inspection for adult social care in the central region, said:
“Our inspectors were extremely impressed by the level of support Right at Home Borehamwood and Watford offered the people in its care.
“From the moment people joined the service, there was great commitment to ensure they continued to lead fulfilling lives in their own homes. Effective and strong leaders ensured people received an extremely personalised service that took into account their hobbies, preferences and life goals.
“Throughout our inspection, staff demonstrated a non-judgemental and supportive approach towards people which had a significant impact on people who previously struggled to find the right support.
“People told us the help and support they were getting was invaluable and meant they could enjoy life in their own home safely and worry free. Relatives also gave positive feedback about how caring all staff at the service were.
“It was also impressive to see the extra mile staff went to, to ensure nobody felt lonely during the pandemic. For example, one staff member danced with someone and watched their favourite programme with them when they were missing their own family.
“All of this meant that the service was providing the best care during a challenging time, and the whole team at Right at Home Borehamwood and Watford deserves to be congratulated.”
CQC inspectors found:
- Staff were exceptionally skilled and pro-active in identifying innovative ways to help and support people achieve their goals
- People received outstanding and compassionate end of life care from staff who put people's final wishes at the centre of the care they provided
- People told inspectors their fear, depression and anxiety about receiving care was completely put at ease by staff who were incredibly attentive in protecting their dignity and privacy
- Kindness and empathy had been deeply embedded in care practices. Management and staff were always exceptionally caring and kind towards people
- Staff were given opportunities to further their skills and knowledge. Several staff had been encouraged to enrol on training courses to progress their career further
- During the COVID-19 pandemic the management team took effective measures to minimise the spread of infections to people. These included allocating the same staff to visit the same people. Staff also took over some responsibilities from relatives including picking up prescriptions or doing their shopping to limit the number of different contacts people had.
Full details of the inspection are given in the report published on our website.
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