LOUISE Russell-Boyne is a networker and part time trainer at Home Instead Senior Care East Northants, a domiciliary care company that looks after people in their own home.
Here, she looks at how Home Instead, along with all other domiciliary agencies, care homes, hospitals, and doctors surgeries are governed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and must adhere to their specific points when caring for clients in all areas of care.
When the CQC inspects home-care agencies, they ask five questions: Is it safe? Is it effective? Is it caring? Is it responsive to people’s needs? Is it well-led?
When the CQC carries out an inspection, they interview clients and carers, carefully inspect documentation, and ensure the care company is adhering to these five points. Once assessed, the CQC determines the overall rating for each care company. The ratings are Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate, and only one per cent of all home care companies achieve the highest rating.
Mark Darnell, owner of Home Instead East Northants said: “At Home Instead East Northants, we work very hard as a team and set very high standards to ensure the care delivered passes the ‘mum test’. We ask ourselves: Is the care of a standard that would be good enough for our own mums?
“This is why our training is set an incredibly high standard for our caregivers and we ask ourselves the same questions that the CQC ask when carrying out an inspection.”
Part of a national network of over 180 offices, Home Instead is now firmly established as the leading home care provider for the elderly and is currently ranked as the number one provider of home care to the elderly by healthcare information specialists, LaingBuisson. The company’s innovative care model achieved national recognition when they were awarded a 2016 Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
For more information, call 01933 678775 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/eastnorthants. To find out more about the CQC, visit: www.cqc.org.uk/