Checking your care provider meets quality standards

If you are choosing a provider agency to provide care, they should provide a service which meets certain standards. Checking these will increase your confidence that you and the person you care for will get the highest standard of support possible.

What should I look for?

  • Check the care provider is registered with the appropriate regulator - the Care Quality Commission (England), the Care Inspectorate (Scotland), the Care and Social Services Inspectorate (Wales), and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Northern Ireland) and read their latest report.
  • Check what other quality tests the care provider carries out. These should include health and safety and fire safety.
  • Has the care provider been awarded any other quality marks which demonstrate how seriously it takes the quality of its services?
  • Find out if it has a whistleblowing policy and what safeguards are in place if there is an emergency.
  • Check out its out-of-hours service.
  • Ask if it has a carers emergency response service which can step in if something happens so that you can't provide care, such as a medical emergency.
  • Check what reporting the care provider carries out. This should include reporting on health and safety incidents and complaints.
  • Check the provider's insurance cover, should you need to make a claim.
  • Ask how often it carries out customer surveys or questionnaires on the support it provides – and how you will be able to take part in this.

Getting help at home

Find out more about getting help from paid care support workers at home.

"I came to Carers Trust after my last provider repeatedly let me down. Things are so different now and I have peace of mind."

Jim, who cares for his wife