Member Article

North East people hugely dissatisfied with standard of home care services

A recent survey conducted by Newcastle based home care provider Right At Home Tyneside has identified that at least half of all people who have experienced home care services in the North East are extremely dissatisfied with the level of care they currently receive. The Great North Care Debate Survey published today identified the views and experiences of 344 local people regarding access to social care to gauge how satisfied people are with the level of care they receive in a care home or home care setting.

Whilst North East care homes come out more favourably in the survey, home care is seen in a much less favourable light, with nearly 60% of all responders wanting to make changes to their current home care provider. The biggest failing seems to be around the level of care they receive. In at least a third of all cases a template plan had been put in place which did not take into account the needs of the individual and when attempts were made to have the care plan changed or complain about the level of care most found it impossible to get in touch with the home care provider’s management team.

One anonymous survey respondent has been campaigning for some time to bring about changes to the system after her mother who suffered from dementia experienced appalling care. “The biggest challenge is that when most care plans are initially agreed, they are only suitable at that moment in time; what is not being recognised is that care plans expire the moment they are signed because the capabilities of someone living with dementia can deteriorate at an alarmingly rapid rate so they suddenly require a different level of care. The standard 15 minute visit only allows the carer to do one thing for the person such as give them breakfast or get them up. Anyone who has had any experience of taking care of someone with dementia knows that it can take much longer than this just to get them to acknowledge you. We need more training around dementia so the people who are putting these plans in place and implementing them understand what is actually needed on a day-to-day basis.”

This level of dissatisfaction has come about because the care model being implemented is outdated, despite the almost universal push from government and regulatory bodies for personalisation in health and social care. Traditionally, people stayed in hospitals longer or recuperated in a cottage hospital rather than being discharged and relying on short term residential or reablement care at home. Dementia was also not so widely recognised, so a traditional approach, including a care plan that simply focused on the number of visits per day, getting the person up and dressed and ensuring they take their medication was perceived as adequate, whereas what is now needed is a much more dynamic, holistic approach.

“What we need is a total rethink in home care, with providers being much more accessible and flexible with the type of care we provide,” suggests David Baxter from Right at Home Tyneside. “We have introduced longer visits which are more pro-active and developed a unique, tailored care plan for each client, which changes as the client’s circumstances alter. Our carer’s are not task driven but build a relationship with clients, encourage them to remain as independent as possible and assist them to live in the comfort of their own home and local community as long as they wish. I have also made myself available to all our clients as if we are not getting it right for them or they need something more from us, I want to know about it.”

For people living with dementia the Alzheimer’s Society recommends that care plans should be reviewed within the first three months and then annually, or as needs change, however Government cuts have increased the pressure on social services so care plans are not being adapted outside of the annual review period.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lauren Wilkinson .