Be Caring Manchester

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a strong focus on treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion. This did not always translate into practice. We received mixed feedback from the people and families we spoke to, with one third being quite negative about this area of care and one third being very positive.

People and their relatives who had concerns told us, “They’re polite, but not particularly warm or friendly. They do what’s required, but it doesn’t feel very personal” and “Some carers are good at asking or letting [Relative] know what they would be doing, however, some carers did not bother to talk with [Relative] and this would cause upset.”

We received some very positive feedback. People and their relatives told us, “They’re always so respectful. Honestly, I have no problems with them at all. They always make sure I’m comfortable and cared for” and “Always respectful of me. Smashing, all of them are just smashing. They always think of me and are respectful of me and my feelings. I never feel like I am a burden to them. They genuinely care about me as a person I feel.”

The assessment process focused on people’s individual needs. People were involved in writing their care plans and each task listed in the care plan contained information about people’s preferences. Staff had access to information about people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs.

People were treated as individuals and measures were in place to promote this. We received some very positive feedback. People and their relatives told us, “They know just what I like and don’t like, so I have no issues whatsoever” and “The carers are really nice. They’re my friends. I look forward to them coming. They are all a pleasure to meet. They are just brilliant. They’re a great team who care.”

The provider had an initiative called, ‘Above and Beyond’. This encouraged staff to use their own initiative to identify and suggest changes to the way people's care was arranged to enable people to spend more time doing what they enjoyed and to promote their independence.

The provider explained they encouraged the care team to complete actions outside of the care plan and to 'go the extra mile' and 'make someone's day'. This flexible approach ensured carers could provide extra support when needed. During the period July 2024 to January 2025 there had been 75 recorded instances of ‘Above & Beyond’ activities completed. For example, one person told us they were able to use their support time flexibly to be taken to a neighbouring town to attend a funeral. Without this support they would not have been unable to attend. One staff member was aware one person was lonely and isolated, so reported this to the office. The staff member was then instructed to revisit them to keep them company, watch TV and have a chat.

Staff told us, “Above and Beyond can be used to give people extra time. This is nice. We put a smile on people’s faces. One man gave me a hug after I helped him clean his flat” and “They encourage, Above and Beyond, they encourage us to look for opportunities and to ask the Registered Manager. We went to get groceries for someone who had no money, so I used my own money and the office reimbursed me.”

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Guidance and prompts in people’s care records were very clear. This helped to ensure staff had clear guidance about known risks to people. This included people who had diabetes to ensure staff could identify incidents where people experienced hypoglycaemia and required a medical intervention. One incident was identified where someone had experienced a stroke. This had not been a known risk. In response the provider ensured all staff were provided with guidance on how to recognise when someone was having a stroke and what action to take in response. Staff also received training in basic life support.

Staff told us they felt supported when working in the community and the office staff were quick to respond to any issues where they were required to contact other health and social care professionals.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care.

The provider was passionate about supporting staff. They told us, “Care Workers are the backbone of the service, making a real difference in people’s lives every day. Without their dedication and compassion, supporting individuals to remain safe and independent wouldn’t be possible. It’s great that as an organisation we truly value both frontline and office teams because when staff feel appreciated and supported, they can provide even better care. A strong culture of recognition and teamwork benefits everyone. It is somethings we are all dedicated to maintaining and continuously improving.”

The management team were accessible, hands on and there was an open culture where staff felt able to access support when required. Staff told us, “It is really nice to work here, it’s been wonderful. The company are very welcoming. They listen to you. They treat me as an equal. When I first got here a client was racist in my first week. They dealt with it well and looked after me” and “It’s been great working here. I feel listened to. I feel at home. The best thing about the service is they are focused on providing good care, but they also focus on staff wellbeing as well.”

Staff were involved in the development of the service. Staff representatives engaged with the CEO and the board. This had led to a range of improvements for staff including Birthday cards with gift vouchers, long service awards and increased pay for eLearning.

Staff achievements were celebrated. In August 2024, Be Caring Manchester introduced ‘Carer of the Month’, an award designed to reward those who demonstrated their values. To date they had received 46 nominations. Staff completed a survey twice a year. In December 2024, 55 staff in Manchester completed the survey. 92.7% recommended Be Caring Manchester as a good place to work.