What to look out for when choosing a care provider

1. Ask the correct People. Families are more involved now in finding care for their loved ones. There is a mine field of information out there so make sure you get it from the right places. Speak with your GP, pharmacist or any other health professionals as well as online. Your local adult social care team within the council should also be approached. 

2. Discuss the need for care. Involving the person or couple in deciding to have care is important. This will give them the control they want and will help in understanding then type of care required from hourly care to a 24 hour live-in service. It may be for certain conditions and require certain practices such assistance with a stoma or catheter.

3. Check the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. Always read the provider’s CQC report. At www.cqc.org. Homecare providers are inspected and graded and these reports of how they operate and the services they offer are available with ratings of Outstanding, Good or Requires Improvement

4. Look at websites. It is generally useful to have a look through their website to learn more about the company, if they specialise in any particular aspect such as Dementia care or specific conditions and if they have achieved any other accreditations or awards for the service they deliver. Also check their reviews on Google or Homecare.co.uk

5. Speak with the Care Management team. Call the number and talk to the care management team directly and ask any questions you have. Check that they are informative, responsive, professional and genuinely interested to learn about the needs of you or your loved one. Also check how they will assess the needs of the client and establish a plan of care with your family.

6. How and when can you contact them? Explore the ways in which you can effectively contact them; Phone, email or other technology. Make sure the care and support will be responsive as needs change with passage of time. There should be in place an on-call facility after office hours to cover evenings, holidays and weekends to respond to emergencies or changes.

7. Is there effective staff recruitment and training? Enquire about their recruitment process. Ask about DBS checks and how staff members are chosen. What kind of training is given and whether it is in-house or external. How are they assessed as competent before they begin work and going forwards? Do they receive regular support and supervision?

8. Introductions. Care staff should be introduced to clients and the family before care begins and there should be a way to express concern with a carer if required.

9. Does the company perform regular quality assurance checks? Homecare companies should monitor the service they provide. There should be periodic reviews of the service directly with the client and family. They should check their staff are doing what they are supposed to every time by carrying out spot-checks .Do they work alongside health professionals and the local authority. Do they send satisfaction surveys regularly?

10. Initial Assessment. A manager or supervisor should assess the needs of the person requiring care  in their home.  This will be a time to iron out any wrinkles of the service and get the final questions answered and get a better feel for them being the right team to support your family. Do not hesitate to stop the process and take time to reconsider your options if you feel pressured or unhappy with the proceedings.