Heed Care Ltd

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 service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first inspection for this service since they were registered in November 2022. 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 80 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion and staff respected their privacy and dignity. People and their relatives were positive about the kind and compassionate attitudes across the whole staff team and confirmed staff valued and respected them. People had a consistent care worker and staff took time to build trusting relationships with them. We saw examples where staff stayed longer than the scheduled visit time to ensure their needs were met before leaving. A person said, “They talk to me and are very hands on. It is not just a job for them. They treat me as a person. They are excellent.” A relative said, “The carer has a really good way with [family member] and is very respectful. My [family member] doesn’t usually like people, so they have done well to create this trusting relationship.” The management team conducted spot checks to observe staff interactions with people, ensuring they were treated with compassion and respect.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, cultural backgrounds and protected characteristics. Where possible, the provider matched staff with people who shared their cultural backgrounds and spoke the same language, enhancing both the quality of care and communication. Staff had spent time getting to know people through shadowing sessions to help them better understand people and what was important to them. A relative said, “They have such a nice relationship and they speak in the same language. This helps with communication and [family member’s] engagement has improved and their confidence has increased."

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People and their relatives had positive experiences in how the provider ensured they were always fully involved in decisions related to their care. A relative told us they had been impressed with how their initial assessment had been completed. They added, “They really made sure [family member] was involved. They got them engaging, listened to them and us as family. This gave [family member] the confidence to reply and get a good understanding.” Another relative said, “They really encourage them with all the support. There are times when they refuse but the carers always encourage them. However, they always respect their decision. My [family member] can be difficult, but they manage this well. I can’t believe how patient they are."

The service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to responding to people’s immediate needs, particularly during times of emotional distress or mental health crisis. Staff consistently went above and beyond to ensure people felt safe, supported, and valued, which helped to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Staff were highly attuned to subtle changes in people’s behaviours or moods and acted quickly and sensitively when concerns arose. For example, we reviewed an incident where a person had experienced a serious mental health crisis and expressed feelings of hopelessness. A staff member recognised the signs early, stayed with the person to provide reassurance, and contacted the appropriate agencies while aiming to maintain a calm and compassionate presence. The person told us the staff member had gone above and beyond and had been there for them in their time of need. We saw a written compliment from this person that stated, ‘[Care worker] comes in like petals over soft ice cream and stays stable through my deep depression. They do their work without complaining and is not judgmental. The carers I have got are untouchable, I couldn’t wish for better carers. There is hope for me tomorrow whilst I see them'. A health and social care professional praised the support people received and added, “In times of crisis, they don’t leave people on their own. They stay longer, wait until they are settled. We really appreciate this and wish all agencies were like them.” This level of responsiveness was embedded in the culture of the service. Staff were empowered through training and strong leadership to act confidently and compassionately in urgent situations. As a result, people consistently received timely, person-centred care that promoted their dignity, safety, and emotional wellbeing.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. People were supported by a staff team who felt valued and appreciated. Staff told us the management team had a strong focus on their health and wellbeing. Comments from staff included, “They really do focus on this and I feel listened to”, “They are aware of my wellbeing, and it is appreciated” and “They don’t only look after the client’s wellbeing, but they care for my wellbeing as well. This is the right place for me and has given me so much confidence.” A member of the management team was a wellbeing champion, and the registered manager told us staff wellbeing was discussed at the recruitment process and during every staff supervision. The registered manager added, “We let them know they are just as important. If we have carers who are well, this will reflect with the support they give to people. It makes a big difference.”