Guardian Homecare (Blackpool)

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question as good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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.

The management team at Guardian Home Care made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. People and relatives told us they were involved in agreeing their individual care plans in line with their home environment. A relative said, “We were involved with what we required right from the start and times of visits etc. The support from Guardian was fantastic. They contacted us straight away with any changes that was needed.”

The management team planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

We found assessments and care plans seen included individual risk assessments such as skin integrity and mobility. These tools were based on evidence-based practice. Staff told us people’s nutrition and hydration needs were taken into account when meals were being prepared in people’s homes. Guidance was in place in care plans to support people effectively with maintaining their nutrition and hydration.

The management team worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

The management team and staff spoken with, confirmed documentation for the property visited were available so staff could read these to maintain knowledge. We confirmed this when we visited individual houses of people. A staff member said, “Information is available to us so we can ensure people are supported properly.” There were systems in place to work with other health professionals if required.

The management team supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs and conditions and provided appropriate support. For example, there were meal and food choices recorded to match individual people’s needs.Care plans we reviewed contained guidance and information on people’s scheduled appointments such as, dental and optician appointments if required.

Guardian Homecare staff and management team routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent.

People and their relatives told us they received positive outcomes from staff and the management team. One person said, “They always keep in touch, and the service is very reliable.”

The staff and management team told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

People’s consent to care and treatment had been documented in individual care records we looked at. Where restrictions were noted in people’s care plans, it was recorded how the decision had been reached. In addition, people who had been involved and consulted had their choices and times of visits recorded. Care plans contained mental capacity assessments and where appropriate were supported with best interest decisions that guided staff on how to support the person in their preferred way in their home when people lacked capacity.We found the service was working within the principles of the MCA and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty.