Brooklands Homecare Ltd - Edenbridge

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. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and relatives consistently described staff as caring, gentle and thoughtful, and said they built trusting relationships that made them feel at ease. A person told us, “[Staff] treat me with great respect, thoughtfulness and they are so lovely.” A relative said, “Staff are very, very kind and caring” and ensured their family member felt comfortable and safe. Daily notes and staff spot check records showed staff took care to maintain people’s dignity, including supporting personal care sensitively, ensuring privacy, and noticing changes in wellbeing. The records demonstrated staff had warmth in their interactions, chatting with people, offering reassurance and taking time to make people feel valued. People frequently described staff as being “Like family”. This positive culture of empathy was also reflected by a health and social care professional who reported the service ‘Always goes above and beyond to support clients’ and continued, ‘The staff have always had a very caring and professional approach.'

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.

Staff knew people well including preferences for food, personal care, communication and daily routines. Records contained people’s life histories and interests to support staff to connect with each individual. A person told us, “[Staff] know me inside out.” Another person said, “They put me on the same level as they would like to be treated.” A relative said, “Staff are so good.”

People were supported to express choice in their clothing, meals and preferred times for visits, and the service showed flexibility to meet people’s needs.

Health professionals confirmed staff were person‑centred and responsive to changes, highlighting their commitment to treating each person as an individual.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People and relatives told us staff encouraged them to do as much as they could for themselves. A person told us, “[Staff] encourage me to be as independent as I want to be.” Relatives described how staff encouragement had increased people’s confidence, mobility and sense of control. A relative said, “[Staff] encourage [person] particularly with [their] mobility.” A staff member explained they encouraged people to remain independent because “It is important for their wellbeing.”

Staff consistently supported people to make everyday decisions about meals, clothing, routines and how care was delivered. A person told us, “I choose my food and clothes, and they do my hair for me.” Daily notes showed staff prompting people to participate in personal care, mobility and household tasks where possible, and respecting their choices when they preferred additional support.

Staff supported people to keep routines that were important to them. For example, they helped people attend day centres, church, hair appointments and occasional shopping trips. A professional told us, “[Staff] work towards a strengths-based approach to encourage enablement rather than disenabling and removing independence."

The provider did not always listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff did not always escalate concerns with people’s needs in the moment. This meant further action to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress following immediate care calls was not always timely.

Daily records showed staff noticed changes such as pain, skin soreness, confusion or swelling. However not all concerns were always escalated to the office and there was not always evidence that appropriate action had taken place to address concerns. We found no evidence of harm as a result of this.

Despite this, people and relatives said calls were usually on time and, when occasionally delayed, staff or the office made contact to explain and ensure continuity. People said staff were attentive during visits, offering reassurance, checking their comfort, and adjusting care to meet their needs at the time. A person said, “They do the little things for me.”

People told us they felt safe because staff reacted quickly if they became unwell or needed help. A relative said, “[Person] had a fall…One of the carers called us and stayed with [person] until we arrived."

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff.

Despite this, staff told us they felt valued, listened to and able to carry out their roles. Staff told us managers were approachable, supportive and available when advice was needed. A staff member said, “I love my job and clients… the girls are lovely, we work well and communicate very well.” Another said the organisation had been very supportive during personal difficulties. The office team also covered care calls when needed, which helped reduce pressure on frontline staff. Staff surveys confirmed staff felt respected and their wellbeing was prioritised.

Staff told us they received regular communication through groups and had opportunities to discuss concerns during regular supervision. Spot checks were in place to check staff practice and ensure they were delivering good care for people.