An innovative home care service which began with just one client three years ago is now providing more than 1,500 hours of care every week to 87 people across rural Gwynedd.

Meddyg Care’s Help at Home service has grown rapidly since it launched in March 2023 and now employs more than 70 people, including more than 60 carers and a dedicated team of eight drivers.

The company says the service is helping vulnerable people remain independent in their own homes, while also potentially easing pressure on hospitals and residential care.

Managing director Kevin Edwards, who is also the lead representative of social care champions Care Forum in North Wales, said the service had grown in response to a clear need from families.

“We launched the service in March 2023 and it started with just one client,” he said.

“They had a couple of calls from our staff and a meals service.

“From there, the service has grown quickly because the demand is there. It has become a lifeline to our service users, and it’s still growing.”

Help at Home supports people with a wide range of needs, including those living with dementia, mobility difficulties or physical and mental impairments.

Some clients need assistance with personal care, getting out of bed and dressing, while others may simply need additional support to continue living independently.

Kevin said a common route into the service was following a hospital admission.

“A lot of people start looking at Help at Home because their loved one has been hospitalised because of a fall, or they've had surgery and are less mobile and can't look after themselves,” he said.

“A lot of the time they are stuck in hospital putting pressure on the NHS and taking up a bed when they really want and need to be at home.”

One of the unusual features of the service is its dedicated team of drivers.

Meddyg Care found that some potential carers were unable to drive, while others faced difficulties accessing driving lessons or waiting lengthy periods for a practical test.

Rather than allowing that to become a barrier to recruitment, the company created a driving team to transport carers to appointments.

The eight drivers now take groups of carers into some of the more remote parts of Gwynedd, helping the service reach communities that might otherwise be difficult to cover.

Nicola Rutherford, a director at Meddyg Care, said the drivers had become essential to the service's growth.

“They take three or four carers who don't drive to the far-flung areas through all weather, snow, hail, rain, flood, to ensure that vital service is provided,” she said.

“We could not have grown the business to reach the furthest parts of Gwynedd such as Harlech or Tywyn without our drivers. It's as simple as that.”

Care coordinator Ericka Clarina plays a key logistical role, matching drivers' routes and rotas with carers' shifts and the needs of individual clients.

'It allows families to be sons and daughters again'

Nicola said the benefits extended beyond the people receiving care, with families also gaining greater peace of mind.

“We get a lot of positive feedback from the families about our service,” she said.

“They say it just allows them to be the daughter or son again, rather than the sole carer.

“That is probably the biggest gift we give to the families.”

The service is about more than simply providing personal care, according to registered manager Laura Haynes.

Laura, who has worked for Meddyg Care for six years and recently achieved a Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care at Coleg Menai, said staff try to make a difference to people's quality of life as well as their basic care needs.

“We don't just get people up, washed and dressed and give them breakfast,” she said.

“We do more, like vacuuming, have a singsong, read a book together, play a board game – lots of different activities like going for walks or taking them to the shop.”

Help at Home currently covers areas including Porthmadog, Llanystumdwy, Beddgelert, Penrhyndeudraeth, Harlech and Tywyn.

Laura said demand continues to grow. The next ambition is to take the model beyond Gwynedd.

Kevin said Meddyg Care wants to expand Help at Home along the North Wales coast, potentially covering Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire.

“We would like to take the service up to the North Wales coast and recreate what we have done in Gwynedd across Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire,” he said.

For healthcare assistant Irene Asuncion, who does not drive, the company's approach has also opened up employment opportunities.

“I was accepted here without a driver's licence and that has allowed me to help people who need it with their personal care and do a job I really enjoy,” she said.

Driver Mark Grayson Wood, from Pwllheli, said he found his role equally rewarding.

“It's great to be part of something which makes a genuine difference to people's lives,” he said.

Meddyg Care already employs more than 275 people across its care homes in Porthmadog, Criccieth and Rhyl.

The growth of Help at Home, from a single client to 87 people receiving more than 1,500 hours of support each week, illustrates the increasing demand for care that allows people to remain in familiar surroundings rather than moving into residential care.

The company now hopes to take that approach to more communities across North Wales.