Baobab Social Care Ltd - Somerset

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 provider met people’s needs.

At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Managers and staff told us they enjoyed working with each other. There was a good sense of teamwork and communication was good. Managers and staff listened to all concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events.

Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. There was a clear vision for the service to deliver high quality and safe care to people. There was a focus on learning, and improving the service wherever possible.

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 told us the service had worked with other care providers and health services. Staff told us how they worked with other agencies to make sure people’s needs were met.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs, such as an accessible ‘easy read’ guide to the service (in plain English and which contained pictures/picture symbols).

People's communication needs were assessed and met. Where people needed support with communication, this was recorded in their care plan so staff knew how to communicate effectively with them.

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. Feedback from people about their care was taken seriously and acted upon. One person told us, “I was involved with my care plan and that is all followed properly. They [staff] are so helpful to me.”

People and their relatives told us they knew how to complain and felt able to raise any issues or concerns with the manager and staff. People and their relatives told us they were confident they could take any issues to the manager or the care supervisors and they would be listened to and acted upon. One person told us, “I did have a complaint [a minor personality clash with 1 carer]. I called the office and said not to send them again and they haven’t.”

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

Daily notes were completed by care staff which gave an overview of the care people had received and recorded any changes in people's health and wellbeing. This ensured all staff members were aware of any changes to people’s health and made sure people had access to appropriate health care professionals when needed. One relative said, “[Care] is reviewed every 2 weeks. We are very happy [with the care being provided].”

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. One health professional told us, “[The service] demonstrates strong awareness of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion, especially in advocating for individuals with [specific care needs who may experience inequality].”

People received person-centred care which met their needs. Each person had a care plan which recorded the outcomes they wanted to achieve and contained information about how they wanted to be supported. People were fully involved in the assessment and care planning process to ensure their care was tailored to their own preferences.

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

The service recognised the need to be led by people's wishes when planning to provide end of life care. Sensitive conversations about end of life care were held, where appropriate, with people and their relatives.

One relative had complimented the care their family member had received. They wrote, “Thank you for the care that you and your team have given during the last two weeks of her life: I do not think she could have had better care. Your team were kind, gentle and sensitive; she thought they [carers] were wonderful.”