Care at Home project released

We have created a guide for home care providers to improve the feedback process and ensure patient's are getting the care they need. To do this we spoke people receiving care at home and the care organisations that provide it.

What did we do?

We visited social groups for older people and support groups for carers and family members.

During these sessions, we spoke with 30 people about care at home services and gathered ideas and preferences on how they would like to give feedback about their care. 

We also worked in partnership with Hampshire County Council and the Hampshire Care Association to create an online survey. This was sent to home care providers across Hampshire. We received responses from 30 organisations, who shared practical tips and examples of what works well for them when gathering and using feedback from clients and family members. 

What did we find?

• A good approach to gathering feedback was to combine more structured tools (such as periodic surveys annually or 6monthly) with ongoing informal check-ins at key moments, including a few weeks after the service has been set up and after hospital discharge.

• Clients and families prefer direct channels such as telephone, email, and in-person conversations.  

• People were motivated to provide feedback when they felt it would help improve their care and make it better suited to their needs. They viewed feedback as an opportunity to open dialogue and initiate changes in their care.

• Offering multiple options and finding out what people’s preferences are, is essential for inclusivity and higher response rates. 

• Feedback questions should be short, focused on topics that are important to people, and available in a range of formats.

• Closing the feedback loop is very important. Clients and families should be told what changed as a result of their input, using communication methods they prefer.  

What have we done?

Responses from these engagements have been brought together to produce a guide for home care providers who may be new to gathering feedback or looking to improve the quality and level of feedback they receive about their services. 

Since there are a wide range of home care providers operating in Hampshire, this guide is not intended to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it outlines principles, options, and practical ideas that can be adapted to suit the needs of different organisations. 

This project drew on insight from people who use care services, their families, and home care providers to develop a guide that supports organisations in improving the quality and amount of feedback they receive about their services. 

Read the full report here:

Care at Home project (1).pdf

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