Terms and Conditions

Company Registration Number: 07745467

Contact Information: 20 Holm Hill Gardens, Easington Colliery, Peterlee SR8 3JT

Telephone number 07435760283  

  1. Definitions

Define key terms used in the agreement, such as:

  • “Agency/ Company/organisation”: Refers to Quality + Care Solutions Ltd
  • “Client/Service user”: The individual receiving care services.
  • “Care Plan”: The agreed-upon plan detailing the services provided.
  • “Carer”: The individual assigned to provide care services.

  1. Services Provided

Outline the scope of services, such as:

  • Personal care (e.g., bathing, showering, dressing and undressing, grooming,  continence care, Mobility support that includes  help with transfers or moving within the home, feeding).
  • Domestic assistance (e.g., meal preparation, cleaning).
  • Companionship.
  • Medication management be it administration or prompting.

  1. Client Responsibilities

  • Provide accurate information for the care plan.
  • Ensure a safe environment for carers.
  • Notifying the agency of any changes in health or care requirements on the above number/ email address.
  • Notify the agency of any absences within 24 hours.

  1. Fees and Payment

  • Services are charged per hourly rate.
  • Payment will be monthly upon receipt of an invoice for services provided.
  • Late payment will incur charges based on Bank of England going rate pro rata.
  • Cancellation fees will apply if inadequate notice period is given.

  1. Care Plan and Amendments

  • A care plan will be drawn up after a thorough assessment of the client`s needs.
  • It is acknowledged that client`s care needs change from time to time. As such, client`s care plans are reviewed on a monthly basis or sooner should their needs change.

  1. Cancellation Policy

  • The minimum contract period for the service that the agency provides is two weeks which will be charged regardless of whether the service is required or not. The Company reserves the right to charge the  client  a cancellation fee equivalent to the cost of one week’s service, at the Standard Rate applying from time to time, should the client give less than one week’s notice of their desire to cancel an assignment for which the provision of Care Workers has already been agreed with the Company.
  • Specify the notice period for cancelling services (e.g., 24 hours).

  1. Complaints and Feedback

Clients can raise complaints, be it verbal, written or through a representative. A representative can be anyone such as:

  • A family member
  • A friend
  • An advocate
  • A legal representative

There is no restriction on who may act as a representative and this list is not exhaustive.

The agency will support them by signposting clients to an advocate if they do not have any other representation and are not happy to raise the complaint themselves.

The agency can only accept complaints from a representative in certain situations. These are;

  • Where it is known that the client has consented, either verbally or in writing (and this includes the willingness for us to share personal information with the representative)
  • Where the client cannot complain unaided and cannot give consent because they lack capacity in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the representative is acting in the Service User’s best interests.

Preliminary steps:

  • When we receive a written complaint, we will send an acknowledgement letter within 3 working days to the complainant
  • With this letter, there will be a leaflet detailing the organisation’s procedure for dealing with complaints.
  • If necessary, further details are obtained from the complainant. If the complaint is not made by the client but on their behalf, the client`s consent, preferably in writing, must be obtained.
  • If the complaint raises potentially serious matters, advice could be sought from a legal advisor. If legal action is taken at this stage, any investigation by the agency under the complaints procedure ceases immediately.

Investigation of the complaint by the agency:

  • Immediately on receipt of the complaint, the complaints manager will start an investigation and, within 14 days, should be in a position to provide a full explanation to the client, either in writing or by arranging a meeting with the individuals concerned
  • If the issues are too complex for the investigation to be completed within 28 days, the client will be informed of any delays.
  • If the client is not happy with the response they receive or if they have not received an answer within a reasonable time, they can complain to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman, Care Quality Commission and/or the Local Authority.

  1. Liability

Quality + Care Solutions Ltd accepts no liability for the action of all persons in its direct employment save for where such actions relate to the duties of the employees resulting from the course of such employment. The Company takes all reasonable steps, in line with industry standards, to investigate and verify the standards of skill, care, integrity and reliability of the Care Workers introduced by it.

The agency has a Public and Employers Liability insurance policy to indemnify it against costs incurred in respect of proven acts for which the agency can be held liable in law. The client undertakes to indemnify the Company and the Care Workers introduced by the agency, for any direct or indirect loss or damage, personal injury or death caused by the negligence of the Purchaser and/or Service User or by their default or breach under these terms and conditions.

The organisation is not responsible for loss or damage caused by third-party contractors or unforeseeable circumstances.

  1. Confidentiality and Data Protection

The organisation is committed to safeguarding personal data in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

The professional references and other information obtained by the Company in respect of Care Workers are confidential and can only be divulged to the client in exceptional circumstances. In the event of such disclosure, any such information provided to the client is provided in strictest confidence and must not be transmitted, in any form, by the client to any third party.

The Company accepts that all information it holds regarding a Service User’s state of health or personal affairs is held in confidence. No such information will be divulged to any third party without the expressed consent of the Service User,  or their  representatives. The only exception to this would be in respect of relevant medical information, which would form the basis of a normal professional interchange between Care Workers and a qualified medical practitioner, district nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or social worker.

  1. Service User’s Cars

Care Workers may only drive the Service User’s car if covered by adequate insurance (this being the Service Users responsibility) and the Service User will be responsible for checking that the Care Worker has a valid driving licence and that it meets the client’s own insurance policy and criteria.

Neither the Company nor the Care Workers will be liable to pay any insurance excesses payable to the Service User’s insurance company in the event of an accident or any other claim made.

  1. Service User’s Phones

No Care Worker should use the Service User’s telephones (whether landlines or mobiles or the internet). The Company cannot accept any responsibility for any Service User’s telephone bills. We recommend the use of call barring on client telephones. Care Workers are only permitted to use the Service User’s telephones in the event of an emergency.

  1. Breakages and Damages in Client’s Homes

The Company cannot accept liability for any breakages or damages caused by Care Workers in the Service User’s home including e.g the shrinkage of laundry, any damage to any utensils, etc. This should be covered under the Service User’s household insurance contents policy. It is the Service Users responsibility to ensure that the household insurance policy covers the Service User for having a Care Worker in the client`s property. It will be the responsibility of the Service User and/or their representative to give clear, proper and adequate instructions for the use of items or electrical equipment in the client`s homes. The Company will not accept any liability for any damage (whether direct or indirect) done by the Care Worker to any goods or equipment in the Service User’s property.

  1. Variations

These Terms and Conditions of Business constitute all the Terms and Conditions of Business between the Company and the Service User. No variation of these Terms and Conditions of Business shall be binding unless such variations are agreed upon by both the Company and the Service User in writing and, in the event that such variations have been agreed in writing, then those variations shall form part of the agreement between the Company and the Service user and these Terms and Conditions of Business, together with any variations agree, constitute the entire agreement between the said parties

  1. Expectations of Carer

Care Workers are not allowed to smoke, take drugs or drink alcohol in the Service User’s home. Care Workers are not permitted to accept gifts from Service Users.

  1. Equal Opportunities

Quality + Care Solutions Ltd operates an equal opportunities policy and makes no discrimination on the basis of age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability when assessing prospective clients.

  1. Termination of Services

In the unlikely event that the service user presents with uncontrollable challenging behaviour that presents as a health and safety issue to staff, the agency will withdraw its services in consultation with the multi-disciplinary team.

Clients have a right to terminate services if their needs are not met. They are required to give a week`s notice unless in exceptional circumstances where they are unable to serve the notice period. All outstanding fees should be paid by the last day of service provision.

  1. Force Majeure

No liability shall attach to the Company in respect of any acts of God, riots, civil commotion, pandemic, usurped power, strikes or labour disturbances or any other circumstances which are beyond the control of the Company at any given time.