Review from Iris F (Sister-in-law of Client) published on 1 June 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

When elderly relatives needed care I contacted Birchwood Care Services as I was impressed by the range of services offered. From the first contact by phone I was reassured by the efficiency of the response and my confidence was well placed. All calls have been answered with patience and helpfulness.

All the carers have been kind and caring and have continued to meet my needs - their visits were looked forward to and enabled the couple to stay in their home as long as possible. The family are grateful for the efficiency, humanity and dedication shown and would happily recommend Birchwood to anyone.

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Review from A H (Daughter of Client) published on 1 June 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

My mother was very well looked after, they were very polite and called out to her when entering the property, asked how she was and always ready to do what was needed. The girls do their job with a smile and cheered my mum upon arrival. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble for any of them. My heartfelt

thanks go out to them.

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Review from J S (Sister of Client) published on 28 April 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I am so pleased to have found you all at Birchwood. It has made a huge difference in my sister's life and the rest of the family, who are so grateful. The situation was difficult. My sister really looks forward to meeting up with her carer and gets quite excited at the thought of an outing. You are

all brilliant, caring, helpful, and empathetic.

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Review from Maurice K (Son of Client) published on 28 April 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

My brother and I have been very impressed with the care Mum has received since you took over her care in March 2020. It is great to hear that Mum and her regular carer have developed an excellent relationship, which can't always be easy when dealing with a client with moderate t advanced dementia. I

have not been able to visit Mum since 20th March so am very grateful that your staff has kept me well informed. Finally, glad to hear that a third daily visit has been introduced. Thank you for all you are doing. Kind regards.

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Review from S C (Sister of Client) published on 27 April 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

We have been very happy with the care my sister received from Birchwood Care Service. Our only reason for cancelling that care is connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this difficult time we felt my sister would be safer if we reduced the number of people going into her home. We now have two private

carers who are happy to look after her.

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Review from C B (Daughter of Client) published on 17 April 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Birchwood have been amazing. Very kind and considerate and my Mum's carer has been fantastic with my Mum. I would highly recommend Birchwood.

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Review from W W (Client) published on 6 January 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I would be more than happy to recommend all the staff at Birchwood to my friends and relations, for the excellent way my wife and I have been treated by every member of the team at Birchwood Care Services.

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Review from Diane G (Daughter of Client) published on 22 August 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I have been impressed with the standard of care and efficiency provided. We have a regular carer which is of high importance to my parents. The emailed rota is extremely useful as I can remind them of the times which, although they vary by half an hour or more, is not a problem as long as they know

in advance. Mum and dad were very proud and touched to be given the "client of the month" gift on their carers nomination.

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Review from T L (Son of Client) published on 12 June 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Very good service. Friendly with the client, efficient, respectful and caring.

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Review from Geraldine C (Daughter of Client) published on 3 June 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

My mother has received extremely attentive and personalised care from the people providing this. They are cheerful and compassionate in their dealings with her and have been very helpful in giving feedback to me which has been crucial in ensuring that I have the information needed to help my mother

get the treatment and care she needs from the health service.
Furthermore, I have always found the manager of the carers to be available when I have needed to communicate and attentive to what I have to say. This has been enormously reassuring during a difficult time as my mother's health and capabilities have been in decline and due to distance, I am not able to see her as often as I would like.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this agency for care.

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Review from Virginia M (Daughter of Client) published on 12 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

Exceeding expectations are the best words to describe the care that Birchwood Care Services provide. I have been extremely impressed by the level of service they have provided to my mother, adapting to her needs on a weekly basis. Living three hours drive away from Kent, it is a huge relief to know

that I can count on Birchwood staff to turn up at their set time and go the extra mile (literally some weeks in driving my mother to a funeral and then to a doctors appointment that I couldn't get down to Kent for).
Their level of care and attention means that I can recommend them 100%.

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Review from Kim C (Client) published on 12 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

Very good staff, compassionate, caring and friendly.
Always make the bed and empty the commode, notice problems with health and give directions.

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Review from David M (Son of Client) published on 11 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

Birchwood provide an efficient, professional and efficient service. One of the best things about them is consistency of care with, apart from leave dates, the same carer calling on my mother each day. They are approachable and always respond quickly and helpfully to any queries.

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Review from Pauline S (Daughter of Client) published on 11 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

My parents are very happy with all Birchwood staff and the quality of work and care. It is comforting to know your staff have dementia training.

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Review from Primrose P (Client) assisted by family/friend published on 8 May 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Do not know what timescales Carer use - at present times all over the place. I have repeatedly asked and was informed they come within what is in their instructions i.e 8-9 am but could be 7.30 am when not awake or 11 or 12 evening. They turn up anytime between 6pm-8pm or thereabouts when the instructions

stated 7.30-8pm.

Reply from Wendy Ryan at Birchwood Care Services

I was very pleased to see our client was satisfied with the overall standard of care given, and they thought our staff were excellent. We all work towards delivering an excellent service.
It was disappointing however to see that our client was not satisfied with the timings of the carer's visits.
We endeavour to arrive as near as we possibly can to a given time, and work in geographical areas to enable us to do this. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to going from point A - B, which depending on where our clients are located may mean negotiating town traffic.
Our operational times run from 7am - last call 21.00pm, no staff work after the latest visit time.
We have a complaints process that all clients are aware of, and there is information held within every client's file, should they which to complain about any aspect of the service.
If a Complaint is received, this is acknowledged Investigated and responded to.
Although as a Manager I would like to think that we provide an excellent service, it would be unrealistic of me to think that things go to plan all of the time.
Receiving a Complaint is as I say very disappointing, but it is our opportunity to review our systems and the way we do things and try our best to make improvements in the future.

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Review from Daphne R (Client) published on 8 May 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Very helpful girls. I have no complaints about them.

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Review from Mac F (Client) published on 2 May 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I have had many care agencies over the past 15 years, none has come anywhere near Birchwood for quality and the very high standard of their Carers.

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Review from C A (Daughter of Client) published on 9 April 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

The girls are respectful and considerate and very caring and professional in the care of my father.
The only downside is that sometimes they are very pushed for time and then have to rush which Dad can find a little upsetting.

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Review from Ian B (Son of Client) published on 7 September 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

Generally good. Main advantage is a fairly small team working with my mother, and a fairly stable team, so she has been able to get to know them. Also, they are all kind and helpful, and include some carers who are exceptionally so, with whom my mother has formed a genuine bond of trust.

There

have been a couple of organisational hitches but generally, administration works well.

On a small number of occasions, the visit has taken longer than the time allocated, because of the needs which have needed addressing. More often though the visits are a little shorter than the time allotted. This is not a problem when I am there, but from this point, I will be there less often and I would appreciate the reassurance that the full 30 minutes will be given on those occasions as it is the only contact on some days my mother will have with other people.

It would be helpful to have a fully itemised invoice when paying, Does your telephone login service provides printouts of visit durations?

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Review from Sheila O (Client) published on 23 June 2016
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Especially in winter, the carers have to wear boots or trainers. I feel it is important that they are provided with plastic over covers for their footwear, they have to stand on the bathroom when helping me wash or bath and to me that is not exactly hygienic. Secondly when I have to cancel a visit the

message does not get given to the carer attending me, which means sometimes they come over 10 miles and then find me not in. That's a waste of time and petrol which they have to pay for. They all carry phones so it should not be difficult to deal with this situation. The carers are kind and will do anything to help me.

Reply from Wendy Ryan, Manager at Birchwood Care Services

It is very pleasing as Manager of Birchwood to see some very positive aspects of a recent review given by one of our clients. The comments raised regarding shoe protectors, and cancelled calls I would like respond to giving our company's policy on.
Shoe Protectors are available and issued to staff in certain circumstances. Indeed some clients supply and request that staff wear these to protect carpets. A Bathroom environment however with slippery surfaces may not be suitable for shoe protectors to be worn, and may in fact be a potential health and safety hazard.
If a client cancel's a visit with our office a phone message or email is sent to the member of staff due to visit the client.
We do however relay on staff checking their messages, or responding to our request to ring our office. If they do not respond this is when unnecessary journeys are made, which is beyond our control.

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Birchwood Care Services

Care Provided by Birchwood Care Services

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Funding & Fees Guide for Birchwood Care Services