Home Care in Staines-upon-thames

Staines-upon-thames has 10 CQC registered home care agencies. 3 are rated Good, 1 Requires improvement, and 6 have not yet been rated. 4 of the 10 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Comparing agencies in Staines-upon-thames and what to check

Working with a largely unrated field

Three of the ten providers listed hold a Good rating, one is at Requires Improvement and six have not yet been inspected. An absent rating is not a warning in itself, since newly registered agencies are inspected in due course, but it does mean the usual published evidence is missing. Ask how long the agency has been operating, who owns it, how many packages it currently runs and whether the registered manager has been in post throughout. For rated agencies, read the safe and responsive sections closely.

Continuity decides the experience

Ask how many different care workers would come through the door in a typical week, whether the same people cover weekends, and what happens when someone is off sick or on leave. Ask whether visit times are fixed or offered as a window, and ask to see a rota in advance. For anyone living with dementia, a small and familiar team matters more than any other factor an agency can offer.

Checks before you commit

Ask what training staff have completed for the tasks actually needed, whether that is moving and handling, catheter care or supporting someone with memory difficulties. Ask how visits are recorded and whether relatives at a distance can see the notes. Ask who answers the telephone on a Sunday evening and how quickly a missed call is noticed and covered. Ask how complaints are handled, and listen for a process rather than a reassurance.

Arranging an assessment and settling the cost

The assessment of need

Anyone who appears to require care and support can ask for a free assessment, whatever their savings. For support at home it concentrates on practical daily tasks and on the hours when help matters most, covering washing, dressing, meals, medicines and moving safely about the house. It should also take in equipment and small adaptations, which sometimes reduce the number of visits needed. A relative providing regular unpaid care can request a separate carer assessment.

How funding is decided

Where needs are eligible, a financial assessment sets the contribution. Home care is treated differently from a care home place, because the value of the house someone lives in is not counted while care is delivered there. Savings above the national threshold usually mean paying privately, while people below it receive help towards the cost. Assessments and funded packages are arranged through the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames adult social care team. Ask about a direct payment if you would prefer to arrange the support yourself.

Working out the weekly cost

Home care is usually charged by the hour or by the visit, with higher rates at weekends, on bank holidays and overnight. Short calls can look inexpensive until several a day are added together, so calculate the weekly total rather than comparing hourly rates alone. Ask for a written rate card, ask whether travel time is billed, and ask what notice is needed to change or cancel a visit.

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