Loyal Bee Care

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People’s care plans included detailed guidance for staff on how to meet people’s specific needs. All staff were able to access this information digitally via a secure app. Staff told us, “Everything is on the app, and you can highlight text and there is an alert system so you can see and take action”.

During home visits, we observed staff used techniques described in people’s care plans while offering support. Regular reviews were held with people to ensure the care provided continued to meet their needs. People told us, “They fit around me fine.” Relatives told us, “I have regular emails from the service. I raise things and everything raised has been resolved.”

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

The service focused on supporting people to live as independently as possible and recognised the value of continuity of care staff and how trusting relationships enabled independence.

A professional told us, I have heard only positive reviews from patients and their families, and this speaks volumes, …. Managers always put the patient at the heart of everything and professionally advocate when required to ensure a seamless service and good relationships with primary care.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

We saw people’s care plans reflected any communication needs, care staff had clear details on how to support people effectively. For people with a sight impairment, they were supported with their next of kin or appointed power of attorney to read and explain contracts, care plans and consent documents. Registered managers reviewed people’s communication needs and offered further support when required. They drew on multidisciplinary teams, advocates or local services for example, Eyesight Cornwall and Hearing Loss Cornwall. For people whose first language was not English, professional interpreters were arranged.

Professionals were complimentary of the service’s communication and the quality of information they received. One said, “The registered manager helped arrange appointments for patients of ours who live alone or are unable to communicate via telephone and the agency do their best to facilitate joint visits/attend planned reviews to enable us to get a clear image of how a person is managing.”

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People and their relatives told us they could contact the office and the managers if they needed to raise an issue and we saw examples of complaints being responded to. The provider completed a quarterly risk analysis review looking for any identified themes, lessons learnt and actions to enable continuous improvement. A relative told us, “Frankly if I had a problem I would speak to manager/s. I can’t imagine sending in a written complaint. We have good conversations.”

The provider carried out surveys to gather feedback on people’s experiences, and staff opinions to monitor the service performance. The number of people who responded to the most recent survey was low however those who did respond were positive. Over 50% of staff responded and 100% said they felt listened to and that their opinion mattered.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People were supported to access health and social care services as required. Records showed staff routinely supported people to book and attend appointments with GPs and to access more specialist services if needed.

Staff completed training in equality and diversity. We observed staff treating people as unique individuals using their preferred name.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

People and their relatives did not report any concerns in relation to any experience of discrimination and inequality from the service.

Staff told us they knew people well and they showed an awareness of people’s individual needs, differences, likes, dislikes and preferences.

A relative told us, “They are flexible, they will change call times as much as they can. If [family member] had an appointment for 9am they will always get there, they are ready and they will go with [family member] if needed.”

The provider had an equality and diversity policy. People’s care plans were person centred and set out people’s beliefs and preferences to ensure people’s characteristics and needs were respected.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

The provider had systems for documenting and recording people’s preferences in relation to support provided at the end of people’s lives. The provider was responsive and coordinated packages of care in partnership with multidisciplinary teams to enable dignified deaths at home.

Health care professionals highly praised staff caring for people at the end of the lives. Professionals told us, “Their teams constantly strive to adapt care delivery to individual’s needs and preference, and I have found them to be reliable and well trained to deliver care for end-of life patients.” Another said, “They optimise independence, as well as providing care for those in the terminal stages.” Another said, “I have indeed had several patients under my caseload for specialist palliative care, that have ongoing care input.”

Care staff told us, “We have end of life training and very recently cared for a person who was end-of-life. The managers talked through what to expect and how to use PPE whilst liaising with specialist end of life services. New things came up daily and the managers were always there to support, always on the end of the phone. The person wanted to stay at home and staff volunteered to stay, they were not asked, they volunteered and the managers also covered through the night though there was no budget in place, 2 care staff were with the person when they died.”