Date of assessment: 27 February to 11 March 2026. Helping Hands Sheffield is a care at home service providing personal care and support to adults of all ages some of whom were living with dementia. Not everyone using the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of this assessment there were 43 people receiving care and support. The last inspection took place in September 2019; we inspected the service due to the age of the rating. The service has remained good. Lessons were always learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to identify trends and patterns and used to mitigate future risks. We saw appropriate referrals had been made to healthcare professionals and staff worked in line with requirements and recommendations they suggested. People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse and staff understood their responsibility to report any concerns. Risks associated with people's care were identified and managed to keep people safe. Care plans gave step by step instructions for carrying out tasks to ensure staff were following people's wishes, managing risk and delivering safe care. Staff and leaders ensured the care environment was safe and took action to address any potential hazards. Staff were recruited safely and received a thorough induction when they commenced their employment. Staff had access to ongoing training and were supported to progress within the company. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who were competent and trained to do so. People's needs were assessed and care delivered in line with people's preferences. People were involved in reviews about their care. People had access to healthcare professionals and care plans reflected their guidance. People were involved in setting goals and achieving outcomes that really mattered to them. Staff and leaders demonstrated a remarkable understanding of what mattered most to people. People were in control of their care and involved in making decisions based on their needs and choices. The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. People and relatives told us staff were skilled and motivated to carry out their role. People valued carers and people were appreciative of emotional support. People were supported by staff who knew them well and understood their needs and preferences. People and relatives had access to information about the service. The provider had a complaints procedure and people were supported to raised concerns. The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People and relatives raised concerns regarding communication and said it was difficult to speak with someone and when messages were left, they were not always passed on. They also commented that this had improved with the commencement of the new manager. The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. There were clear governance systems which supported leaders to identify issues and act on them in a timely way. The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work with partners to ensure people received a seamless service.
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Helping Hands Sheffield improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five key questions at this August 2019 inspection, with no breaches of regulation found. The service demonstrated safe staffing and recruitment, effective person-centred care planning, compassionate care delivery, and strengthened governance under a new manager.
Strengths
· People and relatives consistently reported feeling safe, with staff arriving on time and communicating proactively about any delays.
· Staff received thorough induction, training, and ongoing support through supervisions, spot checks, and annual appraisals.
· Medication administration was well managed with trained staff, competency assessments, and regular audits of records.
· Care plans were detailed, person-centred, and regularly reviewed, reflecting individual preferences, routines, and goals.
· Complaints handling improved since previous inspection, with the provider no longer in breach of Regulation 16.
Quality-Statement breakdown (22)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
Helping Hands Sheffield was rated Requires Improvement overall at its first CQC inspection in July 2018, with one regulatory breach (Regulation 16) for failing to respond adequately to complaints. Key concerns included inconsistent staffing, late or missed visits, and governance systems not yet fully embedded under a recently appointed manager.
Concerns (6)
criticalComplaints handling: “I emailed [manager] my complaint and [manager] never responded so not very good.”
criticalGovernance: “The registered provider had systems in place to record and respond to complaints, however these systems were not always being followed.”
moderateMissed or late visits: “We've had problems with carers turning up late or not turning up at all, we never even got told they weren't coming.”
moderateStaffing levels: “There had been recent difficulties with staff shortages and sickness. This had impacted on the times of some calls and which staff were available.”
moderateMedication management: “On one person's care record we saw significant gaps and errors had been identified when their MAR chart was audited the previous month.”
minorRecord keeping: “In some of the care records we looked at we found multiple spelling errors and the use of acronyms without explanation.”
Strengths
· Staff received thorough induction covering all 15 Care Certificate standards plus practical and eLearning training.
· Regular supervisions, direct practice observations and appraisals were in place and valued by staff.
· Safe recruitment procedures including DBS checks, references and proof of identity were consistently applied.
· People's care records were person-centred, up to date and included detailed risk assessments.
· Staff demonstrated good understanding of safeguarding and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Quality-Statement breakdown (16)
safe: Staffing levels and consistency of care workersRequires improvement
safe: Safeguarding and whistleblowing proceduresGood
safe: Medicines management and MAR chart auditingRequires improvement
safe: Recruitment practicesGood
safe: Risk assessments and infection controlGood
effective: Induction and ongoing trainingGood
effective: Supervision, observation and appraisalGood
effective: Mental Capacity Act complianceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and controlGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourGood
caring: Dignity, respect and person-centred approachGood