Wildflower Home 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 provider met people’s needs.

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 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 was exceptional at making 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 received highly personalised, person-centred care that enabled them to continue their passions and feel in control of their lives. For example, 1 person who loved reading but could no longer read independently was supported by staff who read a chapter of their book during each visit. Another person had a weekly extended visit shaped entirely around their wishes, enabling them to visit local stately homes and attend a matinee performance of a well-known musical.

Staff responded thoughtfully to individual needs; for 1 person experiencing anxiety about care visits, they created a large-print weekly calendar with photographs and names of staff to provide reassurance and clarity. Others were supported to maintain meaningful hobbies, such as flower arranging, with staff sourcing the flowers and incorporating these activity into their care call.

People were matched with staff who shared similar interests and backgrounds. For example, 1 person was paired with a staff member from the same country they had lived in, enabling them to share cultural experiences and conversations, helping the person feel more at ease and understood.

Where appropriate, people were also supported to access their community, including 1 person being introduced to a local day centre, with careful planning arranged by Wildflower Home Care to ensure a smooth and positive experience from the outset.

A professional told us that the service demonstrated a person-centred approach. They said, “[Registered manager name] and her team have supported our group on a regular basis - which comprises people living with dementia and their carers – with immense integrity. It is clear they operate in the best interests of the clients. Wildflower’s involvement is rooted in genuine care and sensitivity.”

Relatives gave us examples where they felt people’s care was person-centred and personalised for them. A relative told us, “She (family member) is very artistic, and they (staff) have helped with this as they got her doing colouring again. She’s thoroughly enjoyed doing it.” Feedback reviews we read included, ‘Wildflower made it possible for my husband to stay at home during his illness’ and ‘She was incredibly happy with the shower today and mentioned that even though she had been a bit worried about it as it was the first time, she felt completely at ease and she was really happy she’d managed to have a shower and get clean’.

The registered manager thought of ways to enhance a person’s life by offering ideas and suggestions which they felt would benefit a person. For example, suggesting a cinema experience for 1 person living with dementia.

People’s care plans were well laid out, comprehensive and informative. They started with the reason people required the care, their background history and their hobbies and interests. This gave staff a good overview of the person prior to them reading about the task-orientated information. A staff member said, “There’s definitely enough information in care plans. They’re really comprehensive and details and describe personalities as well. I would check the care plan before visiting a new client.” This demonstrated the service focused on people first.

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 consistent care from staff as they had a small, regular staff team attending to their care visits with a relative telling us, “It’s a consistent team which is great.” This meant staff and people got to know each other which promoted a more relaxed relationship and feeling of confidence in people.

This was reflected in the view of 1 person whose family member had written, ‘[Person’s name] highlighted how his appointment at the hospital was made so much easier by [staff member] who was very attentive and reassuring throughout’.

Another person who received a care package had commented, ‘The representatives have become friends, and they have helped out in so many ways, such as the internet, physio and (helping us) socialise with friends in the area. The team have kept us in touch with new developments which we did not know anything about’

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

Each person was provided with an information pack which contained everything they needed to know about the service. This included how to make a complaint as well as details about their out of hours service which ran on call rota meaning people were able to contact someone staff outside of normal working hours.

Staff adapted to people’s individual preference in receiving information which included either verbally, by email or by post. The registered manager told us, “Some people want a conversation, they don’t want it written down.”

Relatives told us communication was good. One relative said, “The communication is good. I get emails and updates.”

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 were involved in their own care as well as being provided with the opportunity to give feedback. The registered manager told us, “I go with the staff member on the first day of a person’s care visit and the following day we make a courtesy call to the person to follow up on the visit. Following this, we call have a schedule of calls which occur after 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months for feedback. We carry out a more formal 6-monthly service review where we talk about care visit hours, medication changes, etc.”

The service held a complaints log, but the registered manager confirmed they had not received any complaints since the service had been established. We read of numerous compliments received however, which we have included throughout this report.

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

The service worked closely with a local community hub which had resulted in people accessing care and support externally to that on offer from the service. It meant people could attend a day centre, community café, memory clinic and other group sessions, where they made friends and were able to socialise.

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.

Staff adjusted their support to help each person individually. This has resulted in a positive impact to people with people and family member’s commenting in reviews, ‘[Staff member name] has supported (family member) with several appointments too, which has really helped to take the stress of fitting everything in when l visit’ and ‘He gets on so well with [staff member name] too and finds the change in dynamic really great and appreciates his practical support and reassurance so much’.

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.

People’s end of life wishes were recorded in their care plans and where people’s wish was not to be resuscitated in the event of a medical emergency, the signed document was kept in a place known by staff.

We read of compliments received by the service from families of those who had been cared for at the end of their life. These included, ‘Thank you so very much for taking such great care of my [person’s name] at the end of his life. All your team were so kind to both of us’ and ‘With their kindness and professionalism they helped to give my husband a peaceful and comfortable passing’.