A Clear, Supportive Process from Start to Finish

Your Initial Enquiry

Everything begins with a conversation. You can reach us by calling 07946 017040, emailing info@olivecrosshealthcare.co.uk, or completing the enquiry form on our website. There is no wrong way to get in touch, and there is no pressure whatsoever.

During this initial contact, we will:

• Listen carefully to your situation and your concerns
• Answer any questions you have about home care, our services, or the process
• Explain the different types of care and support we can provide
• Discuss initial funding options (local authority, NHS, or private)
• Arrange a convenient time for a face-to-face assessment at your home

We welcome enquiries from anyone: the individual themselves, family members, friends, GPs, social workers, hospital discharge teams, district nurses, occupational therapists, solicitors, and advocates. Whoever makes the first contact, we treat every enquiry with urgency, sensitivity, and respect.

Comprehensive Home Assessment

The assessment is the most important part of the entire process. It is where we get to know you as a person, not just a list of care needs, and it is the foundation upon which your entire care package is built.

Our assessments are conducted by a senior member of our team, bringing clinical knowledge and professional experience to the evaluation. The assessment takes place in your own home, at a time that suits you, and typically lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. We never rush this process.

During the assessment, we will explore:

• Your physical health — existing medical conditions, medications, mobility, pain levels, sensory impairments, and any recent hospital admissions or health changes
• Your personal care needs — what you can manage independently, what you need help with, and how you prefer that help to be delivered
• Your mental health and emotional wellbeing — how you are feeling, any concerns about anxiety, low mood, or loneliness, and what support might help
• Your cognitive function — memory, orientation, decision-making capacity, and any known cognitive conditions
• Your communication needs — how you prefer to communicate, any hearing or visual aids, and whether you need information in a particular format
• Your home environment — safety assessment including falls risks, access points, lighting, heating, equipment in place, and any adaptations needed
• Your social network — who is important to you, who is involved in your care, and how you would like them to be kept informed
• Your goals and aspirations — what outcomes matter most to you, whether that is maintaining independence, getting out more, managing a health condition, or simply having companionship

We also welcome family members or other people you trust to be present during the assessment. Their insight and perspective are invaluable.

Your Personalised Care Plan

Following the assessment, we create a detailed, person-centred care plan that becomes the blueprint for your care. This is not a generic template; it is a bespoke document written specifically for you, incorporating everything we learned during the assessment.

Your care plan includes:

• A clear summary of your assessed needs and agreed care objectives
• Detailed task instructions for each care visit, written in a way that reflects your preferences (for example, 'Mrs Smith prefers to shower rather than bathe, and likes to choose her own outfit for the day')
• Medication management protocols, including a complete medication list, dosage, timing, administration method, and any known allergies or interactions
• Individual risk assessments tailored to your specific circumstances, covering areas such as falls, skin integrity, nutrition, moving and handling, medication, and lone working
• Communication preferences and strategies, particularly for individuals with hearing loss, visual impairment, or cognitive difficulties
• Emergency procedures, including who to contact and what to do in specific scenarios
• Personal goals and outcome measures, so we can track your progress and celebrate your achievements
• Review schedule and escalation pathways, ensuring your care plan stays current and responsive

Your care plan belongs to you. You will always have a copy in your home, and our care workers will follow it at every visit. We review it formally at least every four weeks, and we update it immediately whenever your needs change.

Matching You with Your Care Team

The relationship between you and your care workers is central to the quality of your experience. We take the matching process seriously, considering:

Your care plan includes:

• Relevant skills and experience, particularly for specialist needs such as dementia care, stoma care, or PEG feeding
• Personality compatibility, because the personal connection matters just as much as the professional competence
• Language and cultural considerations, to ensure comfortable and meaningful communication
• Geographical proximity, to minimise travel time and maximise the time your care worker spends with you
• Availability and consistency, to ensure the same team can attend your visits reliably

Before your care begins, you will meet your care team. This introductory visit gives you the opportunity to get to know them, ask questions, and feel comfortable. If, for any reason, the match does not feel right, you only need to tell us and we will make a change. Your comfort and confidence are paramount.

Delivering Your Care

Once everything is in place, your care begins. Our care workers arrive at the agreed times, follow your care plan meticulously, and record every visit digitally in real time. This means:

• You receive the exact care that was agreed, delivered in the way you prefer
• Every visit is timestamped with precise arrival and departure times
• Care tasks are recorded as they are completed, creating a comprehensive care record
• Medication administration is logged in real time, with any missed doses or refusals flagged immediately
• Any concerns are escalated immediately to our office team and, where clinically appropriate, to our Registered Manager

Families with access to our secure digital app can view all of this information in real time, giving them complete visibility and peace of mind.

Continuous Quality and Review

We are relentless about quality. Setting up a good care plan is important, but maintaining and improving it over time is what truly makes a difference. Our quality assurance framework includes:

• Formal care plan reviews at least every four weeks, with additional reviews whenever needs change
• Unannounced spot checks on care delivery, conducted by managers who observe the care worker in action
• Regular satisfaction surveys and feedback conversations with individuals and their families
• Clinical reviews by our Registered Manager, focusing on health outcomes, medication safety, and clinical risk
• Team meetings where care workers share observations, discuss challenges, and learn from each other
• Analysis of incidents, near-misses, complaints, and compliments to identify trends and drive improvement
• Annual quality audits aligned with CQC fundamental standards and the five key questions: Is the service safe? Is it effective? Is it caring? Is it responsive? Is it well-led?

We do not wait for problems to find us. We go looking for them, and when we find areas for improvement, we act on them immediately.