Heed Care Ltd

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 means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs.

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’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 79 (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. Due to the funding nature of the care, people and their relatives confirmed their care could be flexible to ensure it was scheduled around when it was needed. As people had a regular care worker, people and their relatives told us staff knew them very well, fully understood their needs and felt they received a personalised service. A relative said, “The carer knows [family member] so well. So much so, they might know them better than me right now. They have a really good understanding. They have done something special to have created such a trusting relationship.” Staff benefitted from multiple shadowing opportunities before they fully started to work with people. Staff told us this increased their confidence and helped them to fully understand and get to know the people they supported.

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. People received well-coordinated and consistent care from a regular staff team who understood their needs and preferences. Due to the size of the service, there was a strong emphasis on continuity, which ensured people were supported by a familiar team of care workers wherever possible. People and their relatives were positive about this and told us this had helped to build trust and allowed staff to deliver care in a personal and responsive manner. A relative said, “After the shadowing, [staff member’s name] started on their own. They have a very good understanding of [family member’s] needs and is the main carer. This is consistent so they know us well. I have to say they have been brilliant.” Staff communicated effectively with each other and with external health and social care professionals to ensure care was integrated and seamless. For example, when people experienced changes in their health, the service worked closely with GPs and other community services to ensure any additional support was adjusted accordingly.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People’s communication needs were assessed and discussed during their initial assessment. Staff then observed effective ways of communicating with people during their shadowing visits. Staff confirmed this and told us they had been given sufficient information to help them understand people’s communication needs. Where needed, the management team were able to communicate in multiple languages and translate documents to further aid effective communication and ensure people were always fully involved in their care.

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 knew how to complain and were given information about how to do this before they started using the service. Although the majority said they had not had any reason to complain so far, they were all very confident they would feel comfortable doing so, would feel listened to and the service would take it seriously. Where a person had made a complaint, it had been dealt with appropriately and the person confirmed they were happy with how it was handled. The person added, “I was very happy with how they acted and they did listen to me. They checked on me about this and if I was happy with it. I have to say, they are always checking on me.” People were also given regular opportunities to share feedback about their care through telephone calls, spot checks and surveys.

The provider made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The provider had regular correspondence with people to review their needs and find out if further support was needed. The provider made reasonable adjustments for people, specifically helping to address communication barriers. The provider also ensured people could access support out of hours or in an emergency. The management team covered an on-call rota to ensure support could be provided, especially in times of crisis or distress. Where appropriate and as part of people’s agreed care, staff supported people to healthcare appointments or called emergency services to ensure they accessed the care they required.

The service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to promoting equity in care, ensuring that all people, regardless of their background, language, or personal circumstances, experienced high-quality, inclusive support. Staff consistently went above and beyond to remove barriers to care to ensure care was accessible and inclusive. Staff adapted their approach and worked closely with other professionals to reflect and respect the cultural values and identities of the people they supported. For example, we saw numerous examples where staff interpreted for people, where other healthcare partners had failed to secure resources. Without this support, people would not have had access to the care they needed or been fully involved. The management team had also worked very closely with the community mental health team, to help them understand why people might miss their appointments and the impact this could have on their wellbeing if there was a delay in rescheduling. This approach had resulted in positive outcomes for people, with community services becoming more flexible and empathetic in rescheduling appointments or seeing people later in the day. Staff had also visited a person who had been admitted to hospital to take them a halal meal, as they were concerned the person’s cultural needs would not be met due to a communication barrier. A halal meal is food that is permissible in accordance with their religious beliefs. The provider also worked proactively with external agencies to advocate for people who faced social or economic disadvantages, ensuring they had access to healthcare, benefits, and community resources. This holistic, person-centred approach resulted in consistently positive outcomes and experiences across the diverse population the service supported. Feedback from health and social care professionals was overwhelmingly positive. Comments included, “The care has been exceptional, prompt and supportive. The whole team have completely changed [person’s] experience” and “A key thing is they advocate for people so we as professionals understand the issues. In my opinion, they are the best agency I have worked with."

At the time of the inspection the provider was not supporting people at the end stage of their life. The registered manager told us this was not an area of care they were looking to focus on at present. However, the management team had policies in place and was aware of the training requirements and importance of partnership working if people’s needs changed. The registered manager added, “We know we would need to build up our knowledge as a team before we started providing this care. We also know how important it is about not just supporting people, but also their families.” The provider said they discussed people’s future plans and any aspirations during their initial assessment.