Home care provider which teamed up with Women's Institute to boost dementia awareness rated Outstanding

The home care agency, Mill Farm in Market Harborough, has been rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and praised for being “committed about making a difference to the people they support”.

Mill Farm, which is part of the group Home Instead Senior Care, was also commended for collaborating with organisations such as The Women's Institute and the fire service, to raise awareness of dementia and highlight instances where people could be vulnerable to scams.

Rob Assall-Marsden, CQC’s head of inspection for adult social care in the central region said: “We were impressed with what we found during our inspection of Mill Farm in Market Harborough.

“We found that people were cared for and supported by staff who received excellent and innovative training and support to ensure that they understood how to meet their needs in the most personalised way.

“Staff were encouraged and rewarded for going the 'extra mile' and the service regularly sought out new ideas and contacts to help develop staff and improve care.”

Owner Gail Devereux-Batchelor set up a franchise of Home Instead Senior Care after struggling to find a provider she could trust to care for her 92-year-old auntie.

Now five years on, Ms Devereux-Batchelor, said: “I have a team of dedicated caregivers who make dignified homecare a reality in the area. They are true angels. Everyone wants to be able to stay in the comfort of their own home as long as possible and when the time comes to have care, receive it from people they know and can trust.

“I’m proud to dedicate this outstanding rating to my team who make this result possible. I couldn’t have made my dream of dignified care come true without their tireless devotion.” The report revealed that staff were “caring and compassionate” and risk assessments were in place to enable people to be as independent as possible.

The service also supported staff when someone they were caring for died.

Under CQC’s programme of inspections, all adult social care services are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Mill Farm was rated Outstanding overall, Outstanding for being effective and responsive and Good for being safe, caring and well-led.

Mill Farm provides support and personal care to people with physical disabilities, dementia, mental health problems and learning disabilities living in their own homes.

Home Instead Senior Care operates a number of care services across Britain and this is the tenth of its services to be rated Outstanding following a CQC inspection.

Andrea Sutcliffe, CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care, said: “I am tremendously pleased to be able to congratulate Home Instead on their tenth Outstanding rating.

“From speaking at their annual conference last month to around 750 members of their passionate workforce, I can confidently say that there is something very special about them and I know how committed they are about making a difference for the people they support.

“Home Instead is a great example of how excellent care can be achieved by care services – which is what we all want to see.”

A full report of the inspection has been published on CQC’s website: http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-355194349

click here for more details or to contact Home Instead (Market Harborough, Oadby, Corby & Oakham)