Choosing a Home Care Agency

Homecare, also known as domiciliary care, is the preferred choice for people wanting to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

It may be that you require assistance on a temporary basis, such as following a hospital stay. Or perhaps, due to the nature of your illness/disability you require help intermittently.

You may be a family member or carer looking for extra help to care for an older person or someone with a disability at their own home.

What is Homecare?
Homecare organisations provide flexible services to support people at home. Care workers will visit to help with daily tasks such as getting up, going to bed, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, some household tasks, shopping, cooking and supervision of medication. Care workers are trained in the use of hoists, manual handling, food hygiene and first aid, where these form part of the care required. Although there is no entry-level qualification, many care workers study for a vocational qualification in care. A range of specialist training is also required to provide care to some user groups, such as people with learning disabilities or dementia.
Care workers can visit for as little or as long and as often as you need. You may just want them to help for half an hour, or you may want them to return several times a day. Working hours are geared to provide assistance with your normal daily routine, and many providers will have staff available to work from 07:00 am to 11:00 pm. Some service providers will offer a night-sitting or even a live-in service. If you require nursing care at home, many homecare agencies are also registered as Nurses’ Agencies, and can provide registered nurses too.

Do I Have To Pay?
There are several ways to receive homecare. Some people are entitled to free or subsidised care organised through their local authority social services department, or to receive money from the authority under the Direct Payments Scheme. People who do not meet the eligibility criteria for free care, or who wish to receive additional services, may choose to fund their own care. There will usually be a charge made or a contribution expected for the services that you receive.

Care packages are costed according to a range of factors, with hourly rates varying from area to area. There may be additional charges for care provided in the evenings, at weekends, and on public holidays. The duration of visits may affect pricing and specialist care is often charged at a higher rate. Any extra charges will be reflected in your fees (unless your care is funded by the local authority), so check your contract thoroughly. You should also be aware that some services are subject to VAT, although homecare is generally exempt.

Homecare providers include local authority social services, the voluntary sector and commercial homecare agencies. All of these providers organise their business in different ways, according to their legal status, so it is useful to be aware from which sector your chosen provider comes.

First steps
If you, a relative or representative are considering funding your own care, contact several providers and ask for information, including a list of charges, a service user guide, and a specimen copy of the contract between you and the care provider. As well as guide2care there are many other places you can contact to obtain advice such as your local social services, GP, District Council, Citizens Advice Bureau, Yellow Pages or Thomsons. You may also find that friends or relatives know of or are able to recommend a reputable organisation.

To become a full member of UKHCA , organisations either go through a vetting procedure or produce evidence that they are regulated by the appropriate statutory body, if they provide personal care. They must also promise to adhere to the UKHCA Code of Practice.

What next?
Telephone several organisations and check whether they are registered with the appropriate regulatory body. In England, Wales and Scotland providers of personal care are required to register with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW) or the Care Commission respectively. Homecare in Northern Ireland will be regulated in the future.

Ask the homecare provider to send a brochure and price list, making sure that there is no charge or obligation for this. The services on offer are wide ranging, so always ask if there is a service you would like but cannot see listed.

Questions to Ask
Once you have received the brochure or arranged for a representative to visit, you may wish to ask some questions.

Is the organisation registered with the appropriate regulatory body?
Is the organisation a member of a professional association?
Does the organisation work to a recognised Code of Practice and comply with the domiciliary care agency legislation in England, Wales or Scotland?
Does the organisation have a confidentiality policy?
Does the organisation have full professional and employer’s liability insurance?
Can the organisation provide proof that they train their new staff before they start working?
Does the agency provide additional training and updates for existing staff?
Are all care workers referenced and interviewed and do they undergo criminal records checks (previously known as ‘police checks’)?
Is there a complaints procedure?
What is the range of services offered?
Does the organisation have standard Terms and Conditions of Business?
Does the organisation offer an initial visit/assessment?
Can the organisation be contacted at all times when care is being provided, during out of hours, in an emergency?
Is there a minimum number of hours of care each week that has to be bought?
Are there any discounts for buying a large number of hours of care each week?
What charges will be made and how are they paid?
Is the price all-inclusive, or are there any extras, for example VAT, National Insurance or travelling expenses?
What happens if the regular carer is sick or on holiday?
Once you have chosen a homecare provider, make sure there are procedures in place to review care from time to time, and that the person being cared for has the opportunity to express their wishes on their care.

Information Supplied by United Home Care Association