- Homecare service
Ambercare (North west) Ltd
Report from 1 April 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 9 April to 17 April 2025.
The service is a care at home service, providing personal care and support to people living in and around Oldham in Greater Manchester. The service supports older people and younger adults living with dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
At the last inspection the provider had failed to ensure consistent oversight of the service and was in breach of regulations around good governance. Improvements were needed in the frequency of staff supervision, in documentation and in the management of accidents and incidents. At this inspection, we found the provider had implemented learning, made the necessary improvements and was no longer in breach of regulations. This service has been rated good.
People were protected from the risks of abuse and staff were trusted to keep them safe. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people.
Recruitment checks were robust to ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff had the necessary safety checks in place before starting work and completed a full induction.
People's care needs were risk assessed and care plans provided staff with the information they needed to manage the identified risk. People and their families were consulted about the care provided and were supported to achieve outcomes to improve their health and wellbeing. The service worked well with other health and social care professionals and supported people to achieve good outcomes.
Governance systems were in place to monitor the standard of care people received. People and their relatives’ views had been sought through regular contact, surveys and quality monitoring to drive service improvements. Staff views were sought through meetings and regular supervisions.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally and were free from bullying or harassment. The management team were professional and passionate about providing high quality care and this was supported by the systems they had in place.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives spoke positively about the care and support provided by the service. They felt safe with the service provided and any required changes to care were discussed and updated. One person told us, “I feel safe with the carers, they are brilliant, I can't ask for anyone better.”
People told us they felt confident to raise any concerns or complaints and knew who to contact. People and their relatives spoke highly of the staff. A person said, “Staff are great, we have a laugh and a joke.”
People told us their care needs were met and staff were knowledgeable about their needs. One person said, “They [staff] meet my needs and help with everything I need.
People and their relatives told us they were in control of their care and could make day-to-day decisions about their care. Relatives told us, “They [staff] understand what is needed [to support relative]” and “Yes, [relative] is able to make decisions about their care, and [relative] loves them [staff]. They [staff] care for [relative] and I feel blessed to have them. I have no concerns.”
People and their relatives were complimentary about how the service was managed and about the managers. One relative commented, “I think the agency is well managed.”