Commission our services
What is Direct Payment?
Who can receive a direct payment?
Giving people choice and control over their own care
The duty to provide direct payments
Payments Made Easier
Invoicing Simplified
What is Electronic call monitoring?
Individual Needs
Our Care Professionals
Our Quality Objectives
Our latest CQC Report
Commission our services couldn't be easier, whether you are a potential new client who would like to receive our services on a private basis, an existing social services client who requires additional services, or if you are part of the Direct Payments scheme and would like to establish a relationship with us.
Step 1
Call our friendly allocations team with any questions that you may have about us, the service you require and to obtain a professional perspective on which services best suit your individual need and will most enhance your life.
Step 2
Our Allocations team will take some basic details from you which are passed on to our in-house supervisor who will organise an initial assessment visit at a time most convenient to you.
Step 3
Our supervisor will call you in order to arrange a free mutually convenient non-committal assessment of your care needs and surroundings. These assessments is done purely for health and safety reasons, so that we can best match you with one of our care assistants with the necessary care skills and if necessary give advice on any required equipment.
Step 4
A start date is agreed, at which point one of our trained, DBS and UKBA checked care/support workers will be arranged to visit you and where the care needs are assessed to be complex, the care worker with the appropriate skill will be allocated and will be accompanied on the first visit by the home care supervisor. This ensures that your needs will be truly met.
Charge Rates
Please call our customer services line for information on charge rates and estimates on 0208 698 9911 (option 2).
You will be invoiced 4 weekly in arrears.
All invoices due and payable within 28 days
To facilitate easy payment of your bills a direct debit mandate can be arranged
To ensure that invoices are as accurate as possible, we use an electronic 'call-monitoring' system.
In addition to the call monitoring system, you will also be presented with a timesheet as proof of service
NB: Please be aware that our rates are subject to an annual review, you will be informed in writing not less than one a month prior to the change.
What is Direct Payment? Direct payment is cash payments made to individuals who have been assessed as needing services, in lieu of social service provisions.
Who can receive a direct payment? They can be made to elderly and or disabled people aged 16 or over, to people with parental responsibility for children with disability, and to carers aged 16 or over in respect of carers services. A person must be able to consent to have a direct payment and have the capacity to manage it, although they can have assistance to manage their payment on a day-to-day basis.
Giving people choice and control over their own care: The aim of a direct payment is to give more flexibility to the service user in how and when services are provided. By giving individuals money in lieu of social care services, individuals have greater choice and control over their lives and are able to make their own decisions about how their care is delivered.
The duty to provide direct payments? The law has been changed and the social services departments are now duty-bound to give service users the option to choose direct payments as opposed to using their in-house services. This means that Social Services Departments MUST MAKE a direct payment to eligible individuals who are able to provide consent. Direct payments should be discussed as a first option at each assessment and each subsequent review.
The latest community care statistics indicate that the changes are having a positive effect. From 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006, 37,000 adults received direct payments during the year, a rise of over 50 per cent from 24,000 in 2004-05. This figure does not include children or carers.
Payments Made Easier? Using regular payments systems with Harmony can save you time and money. Harmony uses both Direct Debits and Card Payments which are safe and convenient ways to make regular payments. The great thing being once they're set up they happen automatically.
Invoicing Simplified: We will provide you with a clear, easy to read/understand invoice detailing the services you have received, the frequency of service, unit charge, total charge all accompanied by client signed timesheets for verification.
What is Electronic call monitoring? IConnect is an intuitive and revolutionary point-of-care solution designed for providers delivering home care, extra care and supported living. Using the latest in Near Field Communication (NFC) technology iConnect is proven to dramatically improve compliance.
Key Features of iConnect include:
Delivery of live rosters and key service user information e.g. tasks to be completed and access codes are sent directly to a care worker's mobile phone
Ability to record actual visit times using small RFID tags placed discreetly in the service user's home. There is no need to use a service user's landline.
The data collected is fed back to Staff Plan Roster in real-time and updates bookings with actual service delivery information and proof of location, providing both a live operational view and verifiable electronic timesheets
Real-time electronic call monitoring and two-way communication with care workers
Clear visibility of care worker locations, improving lone worker safety with comprehensive alarm strategies Monitor is an entry-level, easy to use, low-cost electronic call monitoring solution. Using the service user's landline telephone, Monitor enables care workers to accurately prove their time and attendance.
Individual Needs: Here at Harmony, we understand that each person is an individual with their own personal wants and needs, and appreciate that this fact must be respected. Therefore we aim to provide a comprehensive yet flexible service tailored around what you, the service user requires.
This includes identifying care needs and taking into consideration the requested start times and duration of service, through to the selection of care assistant you are allocated.
An assessment of your needs will be carried out by our in-house Supervisor, who has over 20 years of caring experience. She is a fully qualified Nurse and Harmony's Health and Safety officer.
All our staff are required to have a minimum of two years experience before they are taken onto our books, they are shadowed during their induction period to ensure that they are performing to the company's high standards and to encourage knowledge reinforcement.
These measures, along with our diverse experience, go a long way in ensuring that you receive a quality service and receive the peace of mind that comes with the knowledge you or a loved one is in safe and capable hands.
Staff Supervisors/Senior Care Workers
- Will supervise and monitor the staff performance and offer support in the workplace;
- Will ensure that the service users are satisfied with the services provided;
- Will visit service users in their home periodically to review and assess the current situation and advise on any issues concerning the care they receive;
- Will conduct 'risk assessments' to ensure that the service user's home environment is safe for both service user and staff;
- Will ensure that each service user is aware of and understand the company's complaints procedure.
Care Workers
- The majority of our Care workers are QCF 2 & 3 trained or in the process of obtaining those nationally recognised qualifications;
- All of our care staff is personally interviewed and DBS checked prior to their employment;
- All staff is obliged to undertake a wide range of in-house training which is facilitated by our trained supervisor and Manager;
- Our care workers are shadowed upon commencement of employment until we are satisfied that their performance is of the required standard.
- Ware Identification Badges.
All Harmony staff are supplied with identification Badges and are required to offer for inspection when they first visit and upon any reasonable request. It is your absolute right not to admit any individual into your home whom you are not entirely sure about. The company's contact information is printed on the back should you wish to check the information provided on the I.D badge.
Our Quality Objectives: We aim to provide a professional and ethical service to our clients. We are the committed to providing quality service to our service users and to this end are proud holders of the following awards:
Investors in people
ISO 9001
ISO14001
And members of the following regulatory bodies:
CQC
UKHCA
In order to demonstrate our intentions, we have identified the following Quality Objectives:
- We will endeavour to deliver our services to specification;
- We will endeavour to deliver our services on time;
- We will endeavour to deliver our services to the price quoted;
- We will endeavour to make a profitable return on our activities in order to fund on-going development and growth;
- Our Management Team will analyse customer feedback data, internal performance data, financial performance data and business performance data to ensure that our Quality Objectives are being met
- We will conduct our business in an ethical and professional manner;
- We will endeavour to satisfy our clients' requirements and get things right the first time;
- Should we make a mistake, we will admit it and rectify the situation as quickly as possible;
- All new service user care packages are confirmed on the staff plan roistering system in house Staff Training.
It is mandatory that all successful applicants attend an Induction Training session which follows CQC guidelines before the commencement of duties. To further enhance the care our service users receive, mandatory 'in-service' training is offered to all of our staff on a regular basis covering all aspects of domiciliary care. All care staff are encouraged and supported to attain QCF Level 2 in Care as a minimum qualification and effectively urged to further improve their skills by undertaking QCF level 3.
- Code of conduct;
- Confidentiality;
- The rights of the service user;
- Health and safety
- Moving and Handling;
- Food Hygiene;
- Infection Control;
- Personal care tasks;
- Care workers responsibilities;
- The above list is not exhaustive.
All relevant qualifications are checked and photocopies of the original certificates are kept on file.
