How to choose a home care provider in Brighton & Hove

Questions to ask a home care provider

It’s important to ask questions when you’re considering home care, to make sure that the provider can offer what you require. You may want to find out if the staff are highly trained, whether they offer care around the clock, or how much it will cost you. At Helping Hands, we work hard to ensure all of your questions are answered quickly. Our home care services include visiting and live-in care, designed around how you wish to live, and our costs and funding page will help you to plan for the future accordingly.

CQC ratings explained

It’s important that you choose a care provider who is fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). This ensures that you only receive the very highest standards of care, as your provider will be subject to strict supervision. The CQC “set clear, evidence-based expectations” and “identify and respond to risk early.” We’re proud to be fully regulated and that our customers can have total trust in us.

Red flags to watch for

Home care providers are not all the same and it can be a minefield to discover which you should trust. It’s important to know the difference between agencies and private companies, and that Helping Hands has been a private home care company since we were established in 1989. Agencies will often charge you a fee to match you with a carer and will then take little involvement in your situation. Our fully managed care services, however, will be designed around you and your condition, and we’ll manage every aspect of your care delivery from the moment you first get in touch. There’ll be no surprise fees, and your local care manager will coordinate everything.

Why carer continuity matters

The reason continuity matters is because you know the way you like to live, so why should you compromise? Continuity means your care plan will be followed precisely, and you and your loved ones can be sure that you’ll always be at the centre of your care. Continuity is even more important if you’re living with a condition such as dementia, because receiving consistent care from familiar faces will help to reduce anxiety and confusion. Remaining in familiar surroundings also makes a huge difference, which is why having care at home is often the best choice.

Arranging care in Brighton & Hove

It’s easy to learn more about care at home in Brighton & Hove. Have a chat with our friendly customer care team, seven days a week, request a callback for a time that suits you, or you can visit your closest branch and chat with the team face to face.

FAQs

What should I look for in a home care agency?

Whether you approach a care agency or a fully regulated home care company, you need to check that they are well-established and have a demonstrable pedigree. Helping Hands has been providing exceptional home care across England and Wales since 1989, and we have thousands of Trustpilot reviews to back up our claims.

What is a good CQC rating?

You can discover our CQC ratings on our individual branch pages, as well as on the CQC’s website itself. CQC ratings matter because it gives customers and their families an opportunity to view the competency of the prospective care provider before they commit. Their assessment framework is made up of five key questions, underscored by quality statements. We’re so proud of the number of good ratings we have, and work incredibly hard to achieve them.

How do I check a provider’s CQC rating?

Except for our new branches that are yet to be assessed, all of our branches display their CQC assessment rating on their dedicated webpages. You can also go to the CQC website and type in the care provider you are looking for, just as you can on the CIW website for services in Wales.