Balby Care and Home Services 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 provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. The feedback we received from people was mainly positive about how caring staff were. One person commented, “[Staff] are very friendly.” One relative told us, “[Staff] have been really good with my [family member], I can’t fault them. The staff have all been lovely to them. One carer will sing with them, and make sure they get out of bed.”Staff told us how they went the extra mile for people, saying, “We take people on their outings, keep them involved with their friends and family. We help them get ready for their outings and arrange transportation when they go out, making sure they have a spare set of clothes and other essentials to take with them.” For one person, who enjoyed reading, but had lost their sight, the director had supported them to access audiobooks, which had a positive impact on their well-being.

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, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. Care plans referenced people’s cultural, social and religious needs. For one person, who did not communicate verbally, their care plan showed in detail their communication needs. This included how staff should ensure effective communication, by adapting their communication style to meet the person’s needs. Staff told us, “I treat everyone as an individual, and alter my care to meet their individual likes and dislikes.” For one person using the service, staff had supported them to travel to a Mosque to promote and maintain their religious practice, which was important to them.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Feedback from people and relatives was positive. One person told us, “[Staff] don’t take over; they allow me time to do things for myself.” One relative commented, “[Staff] prompt [family member] to do things for themselves to try and keep them a bit independent.” Staff told us the importance of including choice and control within the care they delivered. One staff member commented, “Yes, people are supported to have choice and control over their care. I always involve them in planning and decision-making, from how they want their care delivered to what daily routines they prefer. If someone has difficulty understanding, I adapt how I communicate so they can still take part.” Another staff member told us, “We encourage all service users to make their own choices and provide assistance only where it is needed."

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People told us the service was flexible with any amendments to call times. One person told us, “I have cancelled a visit when I had a hospital appointment, and that was okay.” For another person, the service arranged a later evening call so the person could go out socialising. The service was responsive in arranging medical support if any concerns arose. One relative told us, “[Family member] is in hospital now, and [staff] helped them access that. They let me know what had happened, arranged an ambulance and stayed with [family member]. The carer also packed up some bits to take into the hospital."

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff were given adequate guidance and support by leaders. One staff member told us, “Yes, we have supervision every three months, or in between if we need any additional support. There is always someone there for us. Spot checks are also carried out, to give us feedback on how we are delivering care.” The registered manager could also attend calls if required. This made sure people received the service they needed in the event of any emergencies or unplanned absence. Leaders at the service valued their staff. They had an ‘employee of the month’ scheme and presented staff with rewards for their achievements.