'Angel' staff help care firm succeed

OUTSTANDING . . . the team at Home Instead Senior Care Oldham and Saddleworth

A HOME-CARE company was awarded the highest possible rating after inspectors found it provided "outstanding levels of care" in Oldham and Saddleworth.

Home Instead Senior Care Oldham was set up by former soldier and Gulf War veteran Mick Sheehan and his wife Jenny, an intensive care sister, in April 2009.

The Uppermill-based service, which provides in-home care for older people, came out on top in its latest inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Their new 'Outstanding' rating from the government health watchdog places the company in the top one per cent of home-care providers across England.

Saddleworth-based Mick (45) was inspired to move into elderly care after having concerns about the at-home care given to Jenny's grandmother, former councillor and charity stalwart Beryl Colson.

Father-of-two Mick said: "We felt that the carers who helped support Beryl weren't given enough time to do their job.

"They generally didn't take their coats off and only had time to make microwave meals.

"Most of all, what Beryl would really have benefited from was a brew and good chat.

"I was sure that there must be a better way of delivering care - one that took into account people's personal preferences and gave them the chance to form relationships with their carers.

Quality

"I knew I wanted to do something which would make a real difference to the community I was born and raised in, so our company's aim from the outset was to provide care that passes the 'mum test' ­- the quality of care you would want yourself or your own loved one to receive."

Mick set up the company with the ambition of giving something back to the local community.

There were 110 people using the service at the time of their latest CQC inspection, which found the care and leadership of the company to be 'outstanding'.

Inspectors said in their report: "We found the provider delivered outstanding levels of care that put the person's needs at the forefront of care planning and decision making, and ensured extremely high levels of continuity and familiarity.

"People who used the service, relatives and healthcare professionals were unanimous in their descriptions of staff who went out of their way to ensure people were cared for well.

"Staff were consistently described as compassionate, caring and having built positive relationships with the people they cared for and we found a range of evidence to support these opinions.

"People who used the service, relatives and staff felt having care calls of a minimum of one hour enabled these relationships to develop."

Leadership of the company was also said to "excel" and inspectors praised their participation in fundraising challenges both to support an internal charitable fund and external charities.

They highlighted the work done by registered manager Helen Thomas as well as the HR and training manager and community engagement officer, such as 20 free half-day dementia workshops.

Another community venture they applauded was the 'Santa to a Senior' campaign scheduled for Christmas 2016 whereby donated gifts would be delivered to elderly residents in the community as well as raising awareness of social isolation.

A 2016 survey of clients found that 98 per cent agreed that their caregiver takes a real interest in them as a person.

The CQC report, which was published on November 30, said: "Feedback from people was unanimously exceptional, with people confirming they were treated with compassion, patience and respect by staff who had built mutually trusting and meaningful relationships with them.

"One person who used the service said: 'They are very friendly, it's like I've known them for years.'

"Another said: 'They are lovely ­- it's a marvellous service.'

"One relative described staff as 'angels'."