Blossom Home Care Poole

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 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 service 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 were at the centre of their own care, supported by staff to live well at home, staff were attentive and met people’s needs. A person said, “All the staff are very thorough, and do exactly what I need done to a high standard, they will also carry out additional tasks for me.” Relatives agreed, 1 relative said, “The staff treat my family member like they are the most important person in the world. They speak to them in a kind, respectful and human way, they look past the disease and see who [person] is. They involve all of us including my loved one, [person] is at the centre of it. I give the staff specific instructions on how to carry things out and they follow this to a T and know the routines back to front.” Care plans were reflective of people's choices and personal preferences, and it was evident people were at the centre of their care and support. Care planning was robust with clear evidence of choice and control and information on how to support people to be as independent as possible. Staff told us they had enough information about people’s needs to provide safe care. The provider had an electronic care planning system which meant information was updated or changed instantly. A staff member said, “Each care plan and risk assessment outlines a person’s specific needs and risks. One person has a medicines risk, and we are required to carry out certain tasks and requirements in order to meet this need. This is very specific to this person and results in them keeping safe and well.” Feedback from health and social care professionals was positive and all agreed that Blossom Home Care delivered person centred care. One health and social care professional told us, “In my experience, Blossom Care carers are person-centred, kind and take time to get to know the people they support and build positive relationships with them. I have seen them provide personalised care on numerous occasions. I have always found staff keen to learn and further their knowledge and skills to benefit the people they care for.”

The service 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 they could access the care and support they required. This included seeing their GP or nurse. Relatives were confident in the staff to summon medical support if needed. The provider’s electronic care planning system was used to ensure continuity with care records and interventions. Records showed input from a variety of health and social care professionals, such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Information was shared through handovers, meetings and messaging systems. A health and social care professional told us, “The standard of partnership working between Blossom Home Care and myself is positive and effective. Communication is maintained regularly, and information regarding care needs, changes in condition, and any concerns is shared in a timely manner. This supports continuity and consistency in the care provided.” The provider worked with other health care professionals to ensure provision of care. For example, the provider accepted fast track packages to ensure timely support could be offered when people were returning home from hospital. Staff told us they routinely contacted professionals to support people and knew the importance of working with others. A staff member said, “I work with the district nurses and GPs. It is important to ensure the wellbeing of the person and support them with any diagnosis.”

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Information about how a person communicated was detailed in care and support plans. We received positive feedback about the way the service communicated with people, staff and external professionals. We were assured this service met the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The AIS is a law to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss receive information they can easily read or understand.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. People told us they felt involved in their care and support, either working with the service or their individual member of staff. Staff and leaders actively sought feedback to make continuous improvements, based on what was important to people. Feedback was acted on and embedded into daily practice. The provider offered opportunities for people and relatives to feedback about their experience of the service and the support they received. This included reviews, courtesy calls, and visits to people. We also saw people were asked for feedback using questionnaires. The provider had a complaints procedure, but very rarely had any complaints raised. Leaders ensured they captured any concerns raised and showed action had been taken to address them and lessons learned to improve the service. A person told us, “I have information from the service on how to raise a problem and I know what to do if I had any issues, but I haven’t needed to.”

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People received care and support, which was accessible and considered their individual needs. Staff received training in equality and diversity, they told us they supported people to keep well, happy and achieve their goals. Policies and procedures underpinned all safe working practices, and this was supported by training and ongoing competency monitoring. Each policy and procedure had given a consideration to equity, accessibility and safety.

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 told us they were treated fairly, and their rights were respected. Staff had access to various ways of raising concerns about treatment which discriminates. Staff training, guidance and observations meant staff were reminded of their responsibilities. Policies, procedures and working practices within the service were in accordance with relevant legislation to ensure people and staff received fair treatment.

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 were provided with opportunities to discuss their care needs regarding care at the end of their life. Given the sensitive nature of the conversations, some people had not recorded their views; however, the manager told us they were aware of this and had a plan to develop them further with people. Records showed people’s preferences were recorded. The provider ensured that copies of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) were available and maintained as part of future planning arrangements made and these were adhered to.