Home care services - service user experience report
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Healthwatch Derbyshire carried out a county-wide survey during 2014 to understand the experiences of people receiving home care services. A total of 225 valid responses were analysed, covering both Derbyshire County Council services and independent providers. Overall, feedback was very positive, with most respondents satisfied with the care they or their family members received. People frequently praised carers for being kind, respectful, reliable and compassionate, with many reporting that home care helped them remain independent and continue living at home.
The strongest positive theme was satisfaction with care staff. Respondents repeatedly described carers as professional, friendly and willing to go beyond their basic duties. Many valued the relationships they built with carers and highlighted their reliability, support and positive attitudes. Only a small number of comments related to poor attitudes, lack of trust or concerns about dignity and respect.
The main concerns related to consistency and organisation rather than the quality of care itself. People frequently reported frustration about different carers attending, inconsistent visit times and carers arriving earlier or later than expected. Communication and administration were also common issues, with some respondents describing difficulties contacting offices, receiving updates or resolving concerns. Other concerns included insufficient time allocated for visits, a desire for more hours of support and worries about future funding and service availability.
Healthwatch concluded that home care services were generally highly valued and meeting people’s needs. Recommendations focused on improving consistency of carers and visit times, strengthening communication between providers and service users, reviewing administrative processes and considering concerns about care visit duration. Providers and Derbyshire County Council responded positively, outlining actions to improve continuity of care, communication and service management while maintaining the positive aspects of care identified by respondents.