Our principles of care – Philosophy of Care

Excellence Care Services provides all Service Users with a statement outlining our key principles of care that our service promises to deliver and against which our success can be measured.

About our service, Service Users have the right to expect:

• To be encouraged to be as independent as possible, to be allowed to take risks and to live a lifestyle which is, as far as possible, geared to their personal choice and preference.
• To be treated as an individual, to make their own decisions on matters which affect them, and to participate as fully as possible in drawing up a Care plan (with the assistance of friends, family or representatives as required), reviewing it and agreeing any modifications.
• To have their values, beliefs and chosen lifestyle respected at all times and for their thoughts, opinions and attitudes to be respected, considered and to be listened to.
• To have the right to say will and who will not enter their home within the boundaries of the Company’s Equal Opportunities Policy. To be empowered in the decision about the gender of the Care Worker. Excellence Care Services will not insist on Service Users having a Care Worker with whom they are unhappy.
• Not to  be  discriminated  against  for  any  reason,  e.  age,  race,  sex,  colour,  religion, disability, political opinion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment status, physical and financial circumstances.
• To have privacy in relation to their personal affairs and belongings, and confidentiality in respect of the care that they require, their personal circumstances, financial, domestic or family matters etc.
• To receive details of the Excellence Care Services Home Care services before the start of the service.
• To receive written confirmation of a Service Plan identifying appropriate levels of care, agreed with them and by the Council or PCT.
• To have details of the care given each day and the outcomes observed, recorded to the Company’s requirements.
• That the Company will regularly review the service according to assessed care needs and within a timescale agreed with the Service User.
• That Care Plans or records will be left in their home, until completion of the assignment (when records will be returned to the Company).
• To have access to friends, relatives, religious leaders etc and to be assisted, where necessary, in making such arrangements.
• That their telephone calls to Excellence Care Services will be answered 24 hours a day.

About the Care Workers, Service Users have the right to expect:

• To have care provided in accordance with the agreed Care Plan by Care Workers whose education, experience, training and attitudes make them suitable for such a role and who will provide care in a friendly, appropriate and respectful manner.
• To receive care from Care Workers who have been personally interviewed by appropriately trained staff, and who have fulfilled the Excellence Care Services recruitment and selection criteria.
• To receive care from Care Workers that matches their requirements in terms of skills, experience, personality, cultural and religious needs.
• That Care Workers will treat their property, possessions, their home, the security of their home with due consideration as outlined in the Company’s policies.
• That Care Workers will arrive at the assignment at the agreed time If, due to exceptional circumstances, the Care Worker is late or unable to make the assignment, that the Company will make every effort to inform them and provide a suitable replacement Care Worker as required.
• That Care Workers will be dressed appropriately for the work they are to perform and in accordance with the Company’s dress code.
• That every Care Worker will wear a photographic identification badge unless this is contrary to the Service user’s wishes.
• That Care Workers will be covered by appropriate
• That Care Workers will understand the need to promote the Service User’s privacy, dignity, independence, choice and culture at all times.

Excellence Care Services management and quality assurance teams regularly review this document to ensure that it remains in line with current legislation and current best practice. The latest version is always held in the Service Users’ homes.