A HOMECARE agency in Cornwall has been rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Home Instead Mid Cornwall, run by Lankelly Care Ltd as a franchise of the national provider Home Instead, has had its rating upgraded from good following an announced inspection carried out as part of the CQC’s routine monitoring of adult social care services.

The agency, with offices in the St Austell area, provides personal care to around 55 older adults living in their own homes in Bodmin, Fowey, Wadebridge and surrounding areas.

Stefan Kallee, CQC’s deputy director of adult social care for the South West, said: “When we inspected Home Instead Mid Cornwall, it was clear we were visiting a service genuinely centred around the people it supported and that came through in everything we observed.

“We found care staff delivering exceptionally kind and compassionate care. They told us they were proud to work for Home Instead and this was reflected in the way they went the extra mile for the people they were supporting.

“Inspectors heard many examples of staff providing individualised care and promoting people’s independence. One staff member told us they had supported someone living with dementia to take the train to London to visit a relative and had encouraged them to do things for themself such as ordering their own coffee. The trip gave them a sense of accomplishment and made them feel like they were enjoying a day trip with a friend.

“These positive experiences were made possible because leaders had embedded a culture that prioritised quality, person-led care, and were providing the support and systems to make it possible.

“Leaders ensured people were supported by a small, consistent staff team who knew them well and a minimum of one hour was allocated for each visit. This meant staff could build trusted relationships with people and relatives told us this consistency was reassuring for their loved ones living with dementia.

“Managers ensured rotas were well organised and nobody we spoke with had ever had a missed visit. Staff were exceptionally well-trained and managers carried out regular staff supervisions and appraisals, which meant they were confident people were being supported by staff who had the required skills and experience.

“Everyone at Home Instead Mid Cornwall should be proud of this outstanding rating. Other adult social care services can look to this report to see what ‘outstanding’ looks like in a homecare setting.”

Inspectors found the agency provides staff with a digital app, which ensures they have instant access to any changes in people’s care needs. Staff said this means they always know what they are going into and what is expected.

They also found the agency recruits a diverse workforce that reflects the demographics of the people they support – this means people can be matched with staff who share similar interests or cultural backgrounds; leaders ensure care plans capture people’s life experiences and what is important to them; and the service engages positively with relatives of people being cared for.