Case Study: Gill

Complex care or nurse-led care, as it is sometimes referred to is nursing care which is led and managed by a highly experienced registered nurse. The registered nurse will guide and oversee the clinical care provided by a trained carer and in some cases the nurse will provide the care too.  Nursing home care requires specialist expertise and knowledge to ensure high-quality care is provided in relation to all aspects of care, including clinical components, ensuring it is both safe and effective, whilst positively enhancing the experience for the person receiving care.  The nursing home care service provided must be able to identify changes in health and evolve the care provided as needs change.

We are experts in the specialist care of conditions that impact a person’s ability to live well, including neurological conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease, physical disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, and palliative/end-of-life care for those that are nearing the end-of-life.   We provide nurse-led clinical interventions including respiratory and airway support, like tracheostomy management, feeding support including PEG feeding and stoma and catheter care.

Complex care includes:

• Monitoring health and recording progress
• Working in collaboration with other healthcare professionals by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to care that improves outcomes
• Recording symptoms
• Medications management and administration
• Providing advice and support
• Educating about how to manage illness

We are here to help you and your family every step of the way and you can call us on 0808 239 1525 and one of our friendly care advisors will provide information, guidance and advice on your care options. 

Or to find the nearest Prestige Nursing & Care service to you, use the search function on our website.

Our established nurse-led service cares for generations of people – from babies who require paediatric care at home , to children with a learning disabilities through to adolescents who have had a life-changing accident, to adults and older people living with neurological conditions or other physical disabilities.

Our care aims to facilitate independence, social interaction and emotional well-being whilst supporting people to fulfil their potential and live a purposeful and meaningful life.

We are experts in the specialist care of conditions that impact a person’s ability to live well, including neurological conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease, physical disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, and palliative/end-of-life care for those that are nearing the end-of-life.  We provide nurse-led clinical interventions including respiratory and airway support, like tracheostomy management, feeding support including PEG feeding and stoma and catheter care.

We are experts in the specialist care of conditions that impact a person’s ability to live well, including:

• Arthritis
• Acquired brain injury (ABI)
• Bariatric care
• Cancer
• Cerebral palsy
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Knee and hip replacement after-care
• Learning disabilities
• Mobility/frailty
• Motor neurone disease
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Muscular dystrophy
• Palliative /end-of-life
• Parkinson’s
• Spina bifida
• Spinal injury
• Stroke

Our complex care and condition-led care services are led, developed, monitored and supported by our experienced registered nurses who, as a team have a wealth of experience with a diverse range of nursing specialisms.

Within the Clinical Services team we have Regional Clinical Leads who are qualified nurses and provide professional leadership to the registered nursing workforce, across a specified region.   Working alongside our expert regional nurse team they support all aspects of complex care provision ensuring every client receives compassionate high-quality care which is evidence based and aligned with national best practice guidance.

Our team of regional registered nurses hold a variety of nursing qualifications including general nursing, learning disability nursing, registered mental health nurses and registered children’s nurses.  They enable the planning and delivery of safe and high-quality complex care provision to our clients.  Our nurses work in partnership with healthcare professionals and families to identify specific care needs and plan the most appropriate care provision, whilst ensuring all our carers have the skills they need to deliver high standards of nursing care.  They provide families with on-going advice and continual support to ensure they feel reassured about the service we provide.

Our fully managed service is led by our expert clinical services team who have a wealth of nursing experience. We work collaboratively with our clients and their families to develop a thorough care and support plan that accurately reflects a person’s holistic needs.  We also adopt a partnership approach to working with local authority partners, NHS services, multidisciplinary teams, therapists and other community bodies involved in a person’s care.  This means we are well-informed so we can provide continuity of care ensuring the right care is in place at the right time, whilst responding efficiently to changing needs and strengthening care provision when required.

We provide a fully managed and regulated care at home service, which means our clients, their families and our professional partners can be reassured that the care and support we provide is of the very highest quality. Our service is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care Inspectorate (SCI) in Scotland.  In England we hold registration for Treatment of Disease, Disorder or Injury (TDDI), a registration not all home care providers hold.

We are proud that 96% of our inspected services have been rated as providing a ‘Good’ service, with 4% rated ‘Outstanding’ and our services in Scotland have been awarded a five-star rating.

We have developed our own bespoke accreditation tool which means we are continually monitoring and measuring the quality and consistency of our complex care services for children and young adults to ensure it meets required local and national standards of high-quality care provision.  We know this provides much-needed assurance to our clients, their families and other professionals involved that they are receiving the very best care and allows us to further improve what we do.

To enable us to understand the type of care you would need, our experienced registered nurse local to you will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your needs at home, in hospital or in any specialist care setting if you are awaiting discharge back to your own home enabling package of care to be created that meets your needs.

Our approach to care planning, whether it is for a respite service or a permanent arrangement for hourly care or live-in care ensures we capture all your preferences and wishes so you can live a contented life in the comfort of your own home, with independence.

We take time to find the carer that would best meet your care and support needs, making sure they are closely aligned with how you wish to live your life. Once care is in place, our local teams made up of care and clinical experts provide you, your family and our carer with an abundance of on-going support, giving you reassurance that you or your loved one is receiving the very best care at home.

We are here to help you and your family every step of the way and you can call us on 0808 239 1525 and one of our friendly care advisors will provide information, guidance and advice on your care options.   Or to arrange an assessment contact our service near you.

Yes. As part of our considered care planning process we take time to match a team of carers that best meets a clients’ specific needs. We ensure that the care team that cares for you or your loved one has the skills and experience to meet your care and support needs, but we also make sure that they share similar interests, hobbies and values.

You can be rest assured that you or your loved one will receive care all year round from a team of well-matched, competent and compassionate carers who truly understand your needs and how you wish to live your life.  We know our approach provides consistency and continuity of care and leads to a stimulating and enjoyable life for our clients.

A competent complex carer will provide the following specialist tasks:

• Home ventilation and respiratory support
• Assistance with medicines that control pain
• Tracheostomy care
• PEG gastrostomy feeding
• Medication administration
• Bowel management
• Continence care
• Epilepsy management

We work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, multidisciplinary teams, commissioning groups and other therapy providers involved in our client’s care to ensure an integrated and holistic approach to nursing care we provide.

Family involvement is central to our approach to providing nurse-led care at home and our care teams will ensure they receive high levels of support, as much as they want, as and when they need it.  The level of care provided is planned in partnership with everyone involved in a client’s care as we know through our experience this ensures goals are reached and outcomes are improved.

Our responsive and reliable local care at home service means we can put care and support in place quickly, and in many cases within 24-hours. We are providing a fully managed care and support service in over 30 locations in the heart of communities across England and Scotland, so our experts local to you can put care packages in place quickly, working in collaboration with local healthcare professionals who are involved in your care.

As part of our considered care planning process we take time to match a team of carers that best meets a clients’ specific needs. We ensure that the care team who cares for you or your loved one has the skills and experience to meet your care and support needs, but we also make sure that they share similar interests, hobbies and values.  We this leads to a stimulating and enjoyable life for our clients.

When you choose Prestige Nursing & Care you can be reassured that the carer that cares for you or your loved one is experienced and expertly trained to provide the support you need, to the high standards you should expect. We require carers who join us to have at least six months care or health sector experience and all carers complete our induction training programme, which goes above mandatory requirements.

Before a carer is able to provide complex care at home they are trained by our registered nurses, clinical experts and other healthcare professionals involved in providing care to a specific client, which includes hands-on nurse training so they can competently undertake a range of clinical interventions.

We adopt a bespoke approach to training that ensures our carers have the knowledge, skills and aptitude to deliver high-quality complex care that meets the very specific needs of our clients.  Through our unrivalled supervision and clinical oversight carers can adapt their approach and evolve the care they provide to meet changing needs.

We are very proud of our carers – each and every one of them is dedicated to providing compassionate, sensitive and dignified complex care at home that means our clients live a fulfilled and meaningful life, with independence and choice, for all of life.

A care and support plan is a written statement created by our experienced registered nurse following our thorough assessment of your needs. It outlines all your specific care needs but also covers all your choices and preferences in how you live your life.

The care plan identifies specific care and support tasks involved in your care detailing when, where and how they should be carried out and by whom.  It ensures you get the right care, in the right time and in the right place – your home.  Our registered nurse will conduct a comprehensive review of the plan working with your care to team to ensure it always accurately reflects your needs and you achieve your outcomes.

When choosing a care provider, there are several factors that are worth considering:

Regulated service provider or agency

It is really important when considering a home care provider that you recognise the differences between a regulated service provider, whose service is registered and inspected by the Government and an agency, who are unlikely to provide a regulated service and whose carers will be self-employed.  Care services in England are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and in Scotland by the Care Inspectorate.

Quality assurance through regulated service provision

Prestige Nursing & Care is not an agency.  Unlike a home care agency, we provide a fully regulated home care service, which means our clients, their families and our professional partners can be reassured that the care and support we provide is of the very highest quality.

Our service is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care Inspectorate (SCI) in Scotland.  We are proud that 96% of our inspected services in England have been rated as providing a ‘Good’ service, with 4% rated ‘Outstanding’ and all our services in Scotland have been awarded a five-star rating.

Fully managed service or introduction agency

When arranging care at home you will need to consider how much involvement you want in managing the care you receive.  With a fully managed service, like Prestige Nursing & Care you will benefit from carers that are employed, expertly trained to meet specific client needs and high levels of management and clinical oversight to ensure you receive a high quality service.

If you choose an introduction agency, the carers are self-employed and once introduced to you they will need to be managed, supervised and paid for by the family.  If they need time off or holiday, then you will need to arrange cover which is not always easy and can cause issues with continuity of care for you or your loved one.  We know many families like the peace of mind and reassurance, that comes from knowing their loved one is getting quality and continuity of care that comes from using a fully managed service provider.

The value of recommendations

Many families who are arranging care at home for a loved one or family member, will seek recommendations from those they know.  It is also worth consulting your local authority social services team to see who they consider to be a reputable provider, as they will have vetted the provider to meet essential standards of quality and compliance.

There are also rate and review websites that cover care providers in the UK.  Homecare.co.uk and NHS Choices receive online reviews from those who have used provider services and the UKHCA (United Kingdom Home Care Association) will also have a list of reputable providers for you to choose from.

The cost of complex care is dependent on the level of care and support you require. If you are receiving our hourly care at home service the overall cost will be determined by the number of visits and frequency of visits to you at home.

Our experts will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your needs at your home, or in hospital if you are awaiting discharge to truly understand what you need and therefore how much care at home will cost.

We know that the cost of our professional complex care is very competitive when compared with other providers.  It is worth noting that when comparing the cost of home care with a care package in a care home, that the fee you pay for complex care is actually for the care and support you receive.  In a care home your weekly fee mainly covers your accommodation, food and social activities with the care package being only a small part of what you pay.

You may be entitled to either healthcare funding, social care funding or Government funding to contribute to the cost of care.  If you are faced with having to finance your own home care (known as self-funding care), there are initiatives available to you, including care fees annuities or equity release schemes that could provide the funds you need for your care and support.

At Prestige Nursing & Care we have been helping families up and down the country to understand how they can finance care, whether that is through funding available to them or financing initiatives that can contribute to the cost of care. If you are living with a complex need and require nurse-led care or paediatric care you may be entitled to healthcare funding to receive this care at home.

If you need care and support for day-to-day tasks and activities to enable you to maintain independence, then you may be entitled to social care funding to get the help you need.  This is means tested funding so the level of funding will depend on your care needs and your personal circumstances.

Depending on your needs you may be eligible for funding through Government initiatives, like the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

For many families however, they find they do not qualify for any funding to contribute to their overall cost of care and are faced with financing care themselves – this is referred to as private pay or self-funding care.  You may wish to consider a care fees annuity or an equity release scheme if you are self-funding your care as they can considerably contribute to the cost of home care.

At Prestige Nursing & Care we have been helping families throughout Scotland to understand how they can finance care, whether that is through funding available to them or financing initiatives that can contribute to the cost of care. In Scotland personal and/or nursing care is funded to all adults in the country over the age of 65 who have been assessed by their local authority as eligible for these services.  Personal care refers to anything done for you that is personal in nature.  This may include tasks relating to personal hygiene, bathing/showring, shaving and oral hygiene, nail care, continence care, catheter and stoma care, skincare, laundry and bed changing.  Read more about care funding in Scotland.

For many families however, they find they do not qualify for any funding to contribute to their overall cost of care and are faced with financing care themselves – this is referred to as private pay or self-funding care.  You may wish to consider a care fees annuity or an equity release scheme if you are self-funding your care as they can considerably contribute to the cost of home care.

As we have a team of carers assigned to care for you, one of the other members of your care team will be able to step in offering continuity of care.

We provide a monthly invoice to you for care services provided based on the package of care we agree with you when we start the service. Most of our clients find that paying a monthly direct debit is the most convenient way to pay for their care.

If you cannot answer the door to your care team, we ask that you install a key box safe outside your home that they can gain access. The code would remain confidential between our office and the care team to ensure your security and safety.

If you are looking for a regulated service provider like Prestige Nursing & Care in England, you will be able to search for these providers on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. In Scotland you will need to visit the Care Inspectorate website.

Absolutely. Our carer will always remain with you to ensure you get the care you need in an emergency. If you need to go to hospital, they will come with you to support you.  The carer will liaise with your family and any other health professionals involved in your care to make sure everyone is informed of the situation and you have the reassurance you need.

Our fully managed service is provided 24/7, 365 days a year so you can be reassured that you or your loved one will receive care all year round from a team of well-matched, competent and compassionate carers who truly understand your needs and how you wish to live your life.