Frequently asked questions

Our most frequently asked questions include;

Firstly, all our staff receive a full induction training on commencement of employment. All staff receive training in manual handling to ensure they know how to move and handle you safely. We have a rolling training programme, which covers health & safety, infection control, catheter care, continence care, prevention of abuse, promoting communication, safe handling of medication, and promotion of client rights, first aid, and food hygiene. We aim to ensure that all care staff are competent and confident in every area of care delivery. We also use our senior carers, care co-ordinators and experienced carers to support of new carers, who may be inexperienced. You should always feel confident in the care staff’s ability to deliver your care programme safely.

 

Not all carers will be experienced as we do employ staff who have had no previous care experience. However, you can feel confident that new carers will receive a full induction training and will work along with an experienced carer before being allowed to go on to deliver care on their own. You can also feel confident that all carer’s work performance is monitored and assessed regularly to identify any training and development needs. If you have complex care needs then inexperienced staff will always be accompanied by a more senior, experienced member of the team.

 

You can feel confident that all staff have received training to support you to access the services you require. If they assess that you require an emergency service they will immediately contact the appropriate service and advise you of their actions. Care staff will also phone your doctor, district nurse or other health care professional to support you as necessary. Carers will always obtain your consent before contacting anyone on your behalf

 

 

The care plan that has been produced at the start of our providing your service is what the carers and home helps will follow to ensure they are meeting your needs and preferences. This prevents you having to tell people over and over again what you want them to do! It also ensures that carers or home helps meet their responsibilities and deliver what has been agreed in your contract of care!

 

 

You can feel confident that we vet all staff thoroughly prior to them being allowed to deliver a care or home help service. We interview all staff, take up two references and do an enhanced disclosure (police check) prior to appointment. We monitor staff performance closely and will take immediate action if we detect any cause for concern or if you or your family were to disclose any concerns regarding an employees conduct.

 

You will receive a weekly visit sheet to tell you which carers will be attending and the times of their visits. If there are any changes to this programme you will be informed by telephone or the carer attending beforehand will adjust your diary for you. Your weekly visit sheet is usually placed in the front pocket of your care plan.

 

Care staff will support you with your personal care needs: like assisting you to wash and dress, helping you to the toilet, assisting you to bath or shower, wash your hair and attend to your nails. They will support you with food preparation and will assist you to eat, if required. Care staff will also do some domestic tasks like cleaning the bathroom after use, cleaning the kitchen and storing all foodstuffs safely and disposal of waste. They will support you with bed-changing as required and with some personal laundry, although they are not permitted to do ironing. However, primarily they will support you with personal care.

Home help staff are there to support you with domestic tasks only. This means cleaning of your house, hovering, dusting, cleaning of the kitchen and bathroom. They will also support you with bed-changing and laundry.   They can also support you with meal preparation and shopping.

A list of Home Help Duties will be given to you, along with your Goose Green contract.

 

We endeavour to keep the same team of care workers attending you, although we cannot guarantee this due to staff holidays and sick leave. If you have a home help service we will endeavour to give you the same home help weekly but again this may have to be flexible in the event of staff holidays and sickness.

 

We remind all staff that they are guests within your home and must respect your beliefs, values and wishes. Staff have no right to enter any part of your home that you wish to exclude them from and must always respect your wishes and your domestic routines. All staff must observe our confidentiality policy and you can feel confident that any information staff gain about you is kept strictly confidential.