Question 1

Which home care agencies in Portsmouth appear on this page?

Accepted Answer

Sixty providers registered with the Care Quality Commission to deliver care in people's own homes across Portsmouth are listed here. Home Instead Portsmouth and Right at Home Portsmouth are rated Outstanding, while Bluebird Care, Aster Care, Apex Prime Care and Handle With Care are among those rated Good. A large part of the list has registered recently and has no published rating yet. Each profile shows the provider type and the current CQC position.

Question 2

How does home care differ from a care home or a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Home care sends carers to the person at agreed times, so the house, the routine and the neighbours stay as they are. A care home provides accommodation with personal care and staff on site at all times, while a nursing home adds a registered nurse on duty around the clock. Almost every provider listed here delivers care at home rather than accommodation. When visits can no longer keep someone safe through the night, the comparison with residential care is worth revisiting.

Question 3

What should I ask a home care agency before care begins?

Accepted Answer

Ask how many different carers will visit across a fortnight and whether the same team covers weekends and bank holidays. Ask about the minimum visit length, what happens if a carer is running late, and who answers the telephone out of hours. Find out how staff are trained for the particular need involved, whether that is dementia, moving and handling or medication support. Ask to see a sample care plan and confirm when it would first be reviewed.

Question 4

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Portsmouth?

Accepted Answer

Ask the adult social care team at Portsmouth City Council for a care needs assessment. It is free and open to anyone who appears to need care, regardless of income or savings. A social worker will discuss the daily routine, mobility, memory, medication and the support already in place, usually at home or before a hospital discharge. The written outcome records the level of help required and forms the basis of any support plan.

Question 5

Will Portsmouth City Council pay for care at home?

Accepted Answer

It may, where the needs assessment identifies eligible needs and the financial assessment shows income and capital below the national thresholds. The value of the property a person lives in is not counted while care is provided there. Anyone assessed as able to pay in full can still ask the council to arrange the care, and some prefer a direct payment so they can choose the agency. Where the council contributes, the person pays an assessed amount from their income.

Question 6

How far ahead should we arrange care at home?

Accepted Answer

Start once the difficult parts of the day have become routine rather than occasional, because agencies do not always have capacity in a particular neighbourhood. Assessment, contracting and the first care plan meeting usually take a fortnight or more between them. Beginning early leaves room to trial one provider and move on if the fit is wrong. Reading the inspection reports in advance narrows the list before any calls are made.

Home Care in Portsmouth

60 home care in Portsmouth (showing 51–60)