North-east care workers have been praised by a national watchdog.
The Care Inspectorate has given the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s homecare and housing support service its second highest rating.
The department provides support to assist people to live in their own homes for as long as possible, preventing the need for residential care.
Homecare and housing support service staff have been hailed following the unannounced inspection in November last year.
The quality of care and support provided has also been rated “very good” by the watchdog.
The report highlighted the integrated approach the service took to care, adding that the partnership’s linkage with NHS Grampian had improved communication.
The Care Inspectorate’s only recommendation was to consider if there was a better way of sharing information between employees and other services.
The partnership responded it would be addressing this through the development of integrated teams and virtual community wards.
Chairwoman of Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s integrated joint board, Anne Allan, said: “The work undertaken by carers on behalf of the partnership is at the heart of our strategy to keep people independent and living in their own homes for as long as possible.
“We greatly appreciate the tremendous job they do in caring for the most vulnerable people in Aberdeenshire. It is a very demanding, but hopefully, rewarding job.
“This report is great credit to all those who work in the service and it is good that their hard work is recognised by independent inspectors.”
There are 640 home carers employed in the area to carry out 12,000 hours of care every week.
