Allcare Shropshire Limited

People's experience of using this service: People told us the registered manager and staff were extremely kind and caring and very good at their jobs. They said they felt safe with their carers and liked and trusted them. People praised the standard of care provided and described the service as exceptional. They said their staff often gave them care and support that was way more than they needed to. We were repeatedly told of occasions where staff had gone above and beyond what was expected of them, often in their own time. This included staff making special meals, taking people on trips out and other extras.

The registered manager was one of the two directors of Allcare Shropshire Ltd and also the nominated Individual. They were passionate about supporting older people and people living with dementia. They worked closely and extremely effectively with other organisations and groups promoting dementia awareness. The management team encouraged and rewarded high performance and innovation and the staff team stepped up to this and were enthusiastic and dedicated. Staff were committed to delivering outstanding and inclusive personalised care and strongly focused on supporting people's diverse needs and preferences.

People were supported to attend events organised by the service or activities they chose. These included celebrations, coffee mornings, afternoon teas and various fund raising events. Transport was provided so they could attend. These events provided people with the opportunity to socialise and make friends.

People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely, extensively trained and supported. People told us the staff were extremely reliable, rarely late for visits, informed them if they were going to be late and never missed their visits. Staff turnover was low, and people told us they were supported by staff who knew and consistently met their needs. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs. The service used practical and creative ways to teach staff care skills and put this into practice to provide outstanding care.

The service liaised confidently and efficiently with health and social care professionals. They were prompt and proactive in seeking advice or referrals when people were ill. They also supported people to attend healthcare appointments to ensure their health and well-being was maintained.

People's care and support was planned proactively and in partnership with them. They told us they felt consulted and listened to about how their care was delivered and staff 'really' listened to them. They said staff were respectful, friendly and extremely conscientious. Staff had a strong emphasis on encouraging

independence and empowering people while balancing this against assessing risks and safety.

Staff worked in partnership with other organisations to make sure they followed good practice and people in their care were safe. The management team used a variety of methods to check the quality of the service and develop good practice. They were extremely proactive in encouraging people to discuss how their support could be improved or raise concerns. They acted promptly where areas of improvement were identified.

There was a strong emphasis on the importance to support people to eat and drink well. Staff were aware of people's individual preferences and had the skills, knowledge and ability to meet their dietary requirements. People told us staff managed their medicines safely and they received them at the times they needed them. Staff understood the importance of supporting people to have a comfortable, pain free and peaceful end of life. Where someone was heading towards the end of life staff were particularly flexible, changing times of or care at very short notice.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The registered manager continued to provide excellent leadership and showed empathy and a real desire to increase people's wellbeing. All staff had a clear vision of what was required of them and focused strongly on doing so.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk