Bridgewater Home Care

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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 provider treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. People and their relatives consistently described staff as caring and supportive. One relative told us, “100% - the girls really do care, it's not just a job or a routine.” Similar feedback was shared by people receiving support. One person said, “I have kind, nice female carers who are really pleasant and always ask if there is anything else they can do.”
These comments demonstrated staff developed caring relationships with people and were attentive to their individual needs.
 

The provider treated people as individuals and ensured their care and support reflected their needs and preferences. During the assessment process, staff took time to understand people's views and how they wished to receive support. Where people could not express themselves verbally, this was clearly recorded within care plans, and staff were provided with guidance on how best to support them to express their wishes and make decisions about their care in alternative ways.
Relatives told us staff adapted their approach to meet people's individual needs. One relative said, “Some carers do have accents, and they are very good and speak more slowly so that there aren't any problems.”
This showed staff understood the importance and took account of people's communication needs adapted the way they communicated to aid peoples understand and enable them to express their views.
 

The provider promoted people's independence, ensuring they had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. Care plans reflected what people were able to do for themselves and identified where support was required. Staff encouraged people to remain involved in everyday tasks and decisions about their care. One relative shared, “The carers encourage [person] to help with things like making a jelly to keep the little independence she has, with lots of prompting.” One person told us, “I'm in charge and I can direct my care.”

The provider listened to and understood people's needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people's needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.
People's communication needs were clearly detailed within assessments and care plans. Where people had difficulty communicating verbally, guidance was available for staff on how they may present if they were in pain, distressed or unwell.
Staff responded promptly when concerns about a person's wellbeing were identified. One staff member told us how they recognised a person was unwell and sought medical attention. They remained with the person until help arrived. The office was informed, and alternative staffing arrangements were made to cover the staff member's remaining visits. This helped ensure the person received the support they needed without impacting on the care provided to others.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported them to deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team and described managers as caring and approachable.
One staff member told us that, due to a health condition, they were struggling with some of the physical aspects of their role. Reasonable adjustments had been put in place to enable them to continue working safely and effectively.
Another staff member said, “If I have any issues, like personal issues, they are good with me. Sometimes I pop into the office just to have a chat. I never feel alone.”
This showed staff felt supported in their wellbeing and were able to access help when they needed it. The provider also recognised and celebrated staff achievements through initiatives such as Care Specialist of the Month, long-service awards and special appreciation awards.