Blanche Caring Heart Ltd

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this registered service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People’s needs were assessed with them and their relatives prior to receiving care or support from the agency. A person said when speaking about their initial assessment, “[Name] came along and asked me few details about my health and what care I needed. I was able to get along with the lady and I understand her very well. I am so grateful I found them. It’s like I have won the lottery.”

Appropriate clinical assessment tools were used where there were concerns in relation to a person’s skin integrity and their nutrition and hydration needs. People’s health, well-being, communication needs and personal histories were included in the initial assessment which was then transferred into the person’s care plan. Any additional support whether from family, friends or unpaid carers were also recorded.

People told us and relatives confirmed that staff knew what they were doing and understood people’s specific health needs. A person when speaking about the staff commented, “They always ask me if I am ok and if I have slept well. They are always looking out for me.”

If it was part of their assessed need people would be supported to prepare and cook their meals, which was recorded on the electronic care record system. There was detailed guidance and information about people who had specific nutritional needs, such as support to prepare meals. Some people had access to their own snacks and drinks which could be accessed at any time. Whereas other people required staff to ensure they had snacks and drinks accessible to them.

People told us and relatives confirmed that staff worked well alongside external healthcare professionals involved in their lives. One person commented, “I have got another private carer who comes, and they were talking and discussing things, they got on well together.”

Staff told us they felt there was effective communication between themselves and external health professionals. A member of staff said, “We do work with Multi-Disciplinary Teams. Everybody involved with the service user are very reachable which is something I haven’t found in other companies. The management will make referrals to social services if needed or contact the GP’s.”

Health care professionals spoke highly of the partnership working between themselves and the agency. A health care professional said, “Their communication skills appear to be good at all times and have always informed my client if they were going to be a couple of minutes late etc. training of new staff appears good and [deputy manager] has accompanied new staff to my client until they’re confident they are supporting them in accordance with their plan of care.”

People were encouraged and empowered to take control over their health and well-being. One person told us how staff supported them to contact their GP and arrange for a district nurse to visit them at home. Other people were supported by friends and family to manage their healthcare appointments however, staff were fully aware of people’s specific health needs and how to contact the relevant healthcare professionals if this was required.

People’s care plans contained detailed information regarding any help or support they required and the contact information of any healthcare professional involved. Healthcare professionals told us staff worked collaboratively with them to ensure people remained as healthy as possible. A healthcare professional when speaking about the agency commented, “Throughout my involvement with the family, I have consistently observed a team that goes above and beyond their statutory responsibilities. Their communication with both professionals and the family is open, responsive and solution focused. They regularly contribute helpful suggestions that have led to meaningful improvements in the individual’s wellbeing and quality of life.”

People were supported to manage and maintain their expectations and outcomes of receiving care and support from the agency. Some people had chosen to be supported to maintain their independence which would enable them to stay living in their own home, this had been detailed within their care plan.

The management team completed monitoring tools as part of the initial assessment, this information was then transferred into the persons care records. Staff were aware of people’s specific healthcare needs and followed the comprehensive guidance recorded within the persons care plan.

People told us and relatives confirmed that staff sought consent before entering the house and prior to any care or support tasks. One person said, “I have a ring [camera] doorbell, and they always ask if it’s ok to come up.

People’s mental capacity had been assessed in line with Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff understood people were deemed to have capacity unless assessed otherwise. Some people had a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place, this was a legal document that allowed someone (the "donor") to appoint one or more people (the "attorneys") to make decisions on their behalf if they lost the ability to do so themselves. This could be for health and welfare decisions or property and financial affairs. Staff had been trained and followed the principles of the MCA in respecting people’s choice to make decisions whilst giving them relevant information and encouragement so they could make a fully informed decision.