Harrogate homecare provider Continued Care has been rated Outstanding following a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Inspectors praised the family-run company’s values and culture, highlighting the “exceptionally caring and responsive” person-centred care and highly-motivated, compassionate and kind care workers. They also found that managers led by example and helped to promote consistent, high quality care.
Giving an overall rating of Outstanding, they concluded that the organisation was Outstanding in the areas of Caring and Well-Led, and Good in the domains of Safe, Effective and Responsive.
Only one percent of organisations in the UK achieve an Outstanding result from the CQC, and Continued Care was congratulated by the inspector, who was impressed with their core values. They were also thanked by the director of North Yorkshire County Council for the support they offer to the local community.
The CQC report, published on December 22, follows a two-day site inspection in early November which included a comprehensive review of the service. Inspectors interviewed people who use Continued Care and their relatives, as well as staff from the care and management teams. They also reviewed care records, policies and procedures, and obtained views from the clinical commissioning group (CCG), social workers, health professionals, and the local authority.
Continued Care director Samantha Harrison said:
I am so proud of every member of our team. It’s really difficult to achieve an Outstanding rating from the CQC, so for us to do so is a tremendous achievement and a real testament to all our staff. We are a fast-paced large agency yet we still manage to make our service friendly and personal. This is down to the amazing work our staff carry out every day, and reflects the care, compassion and support they deliver. It is a team effort and I am very grateful for all their support and commitment.
Continued Care provides personal care to people living at home in the wider Harrogate district, working with older adults, people living with dementia, younger disabled adults, adults with a learning disability, and children.
In their report, CQC inspectors said that the company’s values and culture had respect at their heart and were exemplified by all staff. They said service users described their care workers as “honest, trustworthy and respectful”, and that managers were “passionate about providing people with the very best care”.
They highlighted “numerous examples of individual acts of staff kindness, thought and attention to detail, which enhanced people’s wellbeing”. Examples included everything from hanging out washing or doing some ironing to more specific, personal acts such as a carer picking daffodils from their garden for a service user whose sight was failing because the carer had researched that yellow is the last colour to be clearly seen.
The report said that service users and their relatives were “wholly positive and expressed a high degree of satisfaction with their care”, while staff spoke enthusiastically about their work and the organisation’s culture and core values. Managers were praised for developing staff and making them feel valued, and inspectors highlighted the excellent relationships that exist between people who use the service, managers and staff, as well as the culture of openness and honesty.
Samantha added:
Looking to the future, we intend to continue the momentum, build upon our service and always remember to ensure our clients get the best care possible.
To view the full report, see https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2104651636
- Continued Care is a family owned and run business based in Harrogate and established in 1993. Its team of experienced and friendly carers deliver an extensive range of services which are designed to support and assist people within the comfort and surroundings of their own homes.
- Its satellite office in Settle also has an equipment and mobility aids shop. Services include help with cleaning, shopping, medication, personal care or even 24 hour care, for clients who may have experienced a sudden illness, returned from hospital, or just need some extra support. At Continued Care, the team works in partnership with the client to create a plan of care tailored to meet individual needs and requirements.
