Domiciliary care, also known as home care, is a service that allows people to receive care and support in the comfort of their own homes. It differs from other care options like nursing homes or assisted living facilities, which require people to move to a different location for care. Domiciliary care provides personalised care plans designed to meet the unique needs of each individual, allowing them to maintain their independence and dignity.

Currently, our services are available exclusively in Birmingham, West Midlands. We've made this deliberate choice to keep our services bespoke and well managed, ensuring we provide the highest quality care to our clients. We want to make sure you get the care you want, when you want it, from carers who are travelling a reasonable distance to visit you. If we do expand to other areas in future, we’ll make sure we take a similar considered approach.

We take pride in being a local, doctor-led, and thoroughly comprehensive care provider. We aren’t an agency or run by a multi-national corporation, and as proud local people we believe that good care is part of a thriving, healthy community - and that’s good for everyone, even those who don’t directly receive care. Our commitment to quality and the well-being of our clients is unwavering. We’re also committed to fair pay and conditions for carers, especially as care has long been an undervalued profession. We believe strongly in doing right by people, which includes our service users and care workers. It’s fundamentally important that we don’t undercut quality standards of care for you, and also that we treat the people who come into your home to care for you with the respect that their efforts deserve.

Starting with Oakwell Homecare is simple. You can contact us by phone at 0121 663 6567 or by completing our online contact form here. We'll respond promptly to answer your questions and set up an assessment to understand your needs.

During the assessment, we'll meet with you to discuss your specific care needs. We prefer to conduct these assessments face-to-face, but we can also arrange phone calls, video calls, or virtual meetings if needed. The assessment helps us create a personalised care plan that meets your needs and provides care to your highest satisfaction.

Your care plan is guided by your unique needs and preferences. We work closely with you and your loved ones to ensure the plan focuses on your well-being, exact wishes and preferences. We may also take some baseline health readings if needed, to assess any risks and requirements, and make sure that the service we provide to you is safe and appropriate to your exact circumstances. Our team of qualified professionals designs the plan in direct consultation with you, and we keep it flexible to adapt to any changes in your needs.

Our care plans are tailor-made to meet your individual needs and preferences. After the initial assessment, a detailed care plan is formulated in consultation with you, your family, and any healthcare professionals involved. Care plans are regularly reviewed and adjusted to adapt to any changes in your condition, needs or preferences, ensuring that the care provided continues to be appropriate and effective.

In a nutshell it means that we retain a team of doctors who our carers and office staff can consult at any time if we’ve flagged a particular concern from a visit. Based on the discussion with the doctor, we’ll then relay information to you outlining our concerns and may even be able to advise you of possible next steps or pathways open to you. You can then choose to take appropriate action as you see fit. This service doesn’t replace your current health provision, and doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be consulting with a doctor as part of your care package, or receiving private medical healthcare. It’s more like an extra layer of support and oversight designed to provide a more rigorous and comprehensive type of care.

Absolutely. Our compassionate and highly skilled team consists of qualified professionals experienced in providing care to individuals in their own homes. We pride ourselves on recruiting and retaining the very best staff to ensure you receive top-quality care. When staff join us, it’s not enough for them to be qualified and experienced - they also have to go through our rigorous own in-house training, to make sure that they meet the quality standards, ethos and principles of our service. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our standards of care for staff, and want our staff to feel just as well looked after as our service users. We believe that staff who are properly valued and appreciated provide the very best care to you.

We offer clear points of contact during office hours, ensuring you have direct access to our team whenever you need assistance. We don't rely on external call centres, so you can reach us through one direct phone number. If you leave us a message, we aim to get back to your directly on the same day. Outside office hours, our on-demand telephone availability will depend on the specific care provision that you’ve chosen; if it’s right for you to have a 24-hour access line to us, then we’ll provide one.

We understand that cost is an important consideration for you. During the consultation process, we aim to understand your needs and provide you with precise, clear, and transparent pricing. Instead of offering vague quotes, we give you a proper price for an itemised list of services that you can review and approve in advance. As a guideline, our hourly rate for a basic care visit starts from £34.50 - however, it’s always best to contact us to find out the most appropriate rate for the specific services you require.

No, we don't require long-term contracts or pressure you into extended commitments. We're here to provide the care you want and need, exactly when you need it. Our focus is on your well-being and satisfaction.

We offer flexible payment options to make it easier for you to access the care you need. You can pay for your care through various methods, including private payments, long-term care insurance, and other sources of private funding. Our team can provide guidance on the best payment option for your specific situation, including signposting you towards other useful professional advice – such as advice on accessing benefits, or equity release, etc.

Once your initial assessment is complete, the timeline for starting your care can vary depending on your specific needs. However, we strive to initiate care services within two weeks following your completed assessment and your approval of the care plan. Our goal is to ensure that your care plan is meticulously crafted to meet your requirements, ensuring a seamless transition to receiving our services.

We understand the importance of your comfort and security. In most cases, people prefer to welcome their carers by answering the door at the scheduled visit time. However, we recognise that this may not always be feasible for everyone. If you find it challenging to answer the door, we’ll collaborate with you to find a suitable and secure solution. This could include arranging for a key safe or a locked key box, an electronic access combination pad or fob, or other secure entry arrangements that meet your satisfaction and ensure your peace of mind.

Yes, in most circumstances. We endeavour to provide consistency in your care by allocating the same carer to you as much as possible. We believe that building a trusting and familiar relationship between you and your carer is vital for delivering personal, effective care. This approach ensures that your carer is well-acquainted with your preferences, routines, and specific needs, contributing to a more comfortable and beneficial care experience. Where a regular carer is away for any reason, we’ll make sure that a comprehensive handover is carried out.

Oakwell Homecare adheres to strict quality control and safety protocols to ensure the highest standard of care. We are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England, to ensure compliance with national standards. Our care staff undergoes continuous training and professional development to stay updated on best practices and deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care.

We take the privacy and confidentiality of our service users very seriously. All personal information is handled in strict compliance with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our staff are trained in confidentiality policies to ensure that all your information is protected and only used for the purpose of providing care and support. We are registered with the ICO and answerable to the Information Commissioner on all relevant data related matters. Data protection is a regulated, inspected matter and we are held accountable to national standards.

We specialise in providing care tailored to people with a range of health conditions, ensuring they receive the necessary support while remaining in their homes. Our care teams have expertise in managing conditions such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and post-operative recovery, among others. We coordinate with healthcare providers to deliver a holistic approach that encompasses not just physical support but also emotional and social care.

We value feedback from our service users and their families as it helps us to continuously improve our services. There is a clear and accessible process in place for providing feedback or lodging complaints. All feedback is taken seriously, and any concerns are addressed promptly and effectively, with the aim of resolving any issues to your satisfaction. To raise a concern or provide feedback, you can call or write to us by letter or email, using the contact page here. Existing customers can also find the relevant information within their welcome pack, which has the complaints and feedback processes clearly set out.

If you have a specific question or need further information, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us on 0121 663 6567 or through our online contact form here. We’re here to address any queries you may have promptly and thoroughly.