Care at Home Experiences, Isle of Wight

A questionnaire was compiled, covering topics identified from national reports, and through analysis of the public’s feedback to Healthwatch Isle of Wight. 180 people responded - predominantly users of care at home; most others who took part were family members of care recipients.

The majority of participants rated care highly, with many positive comments about the attitudes of care staff, organisational support from care agencies, and help from individual members of the Isle of Wight Council’s social care team.

The process of arranging care was most often assisted by a social worker. Whilst many rated this positively, others encountered difficulties, especially people obliged to fund their own care. Alongside positive experience of care staff, some participants mentioned poor communication skills and a lack of awareness of dementia. Competence also varied in food preparation. There were a number of comments on erratically-timed care visits, and frequent changes of care staff. Some participants said they had been kept well-informed about which care staff would be visiting, others less so. Experience varied of communication with care agencies and the ease of resolving any problems.

Recommendations; greater access is needed to sources of support to arrange and review care, for individuals deemed responsible for their own funding. An urgent review should take place of information, correspondence and communication between people arranging or using care at home and the Isle of Wight Council’s social care department. Training requirements for care staff should be systematically identified by commissioners with regard to matters highlighted in this report. Mechanisms need to be further developed to allow for quality standards of providers to be rated by recipients of care.