Guild Care Domiciliary Care

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 service since they reregistered. 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.

People were receiving a personalised service that was responsive to their needs. Care plans fully reflected people’s needs, including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act, and emphasised a person-centred approach.

People and their relatives and loved ones were involved in the planning and decision making about their care. People and relatives told us they were encouraged to be involved and were consulted about how they wanted the care to be delivered. One person said, “Staff are all aware of the things that are required to be done. They have a good understanding between me and the other carers that come.” One relative said, “I can talk to (carer) and she is lovely to talk to as she knows a lot about dementia and they want to know more and they want to help.”

Staff had a good understanding of what it meant to provide person centred care. One staff member said, “I provide person centred care by putting each person at the centre of all decisions about their support. I take time to understand their individual needs, preferences, wishes, routines, cultural background, and personal goals.”

People receive care and treatment from services that understand the diverse health and social care needs of their local communities. People’s care and treatment was delivered in a way that met their assessed needs from services that were coordinated and responsive.

The provider demonstrated a responsive approach to improving continuity of care, particularly through the introduction of the electronic rostering system. This enabled people to be linked with regular staff, which improved consistency and reduced disruptions. Complaints relating to scheduling had decreased following these changes, and feedback indicated that people experienced more reliable visit times. One relative said, “They treat (partner) very well, we have a small group, and they try to keep the same staff, she has a good rapport with them. Their attitude is very good.”

The service also worked collaboratively with a range of external professionals, including SALT, occupational therapists and community teams, to ensure people’s needs continued to be met. This joined-up approach supported people to remain at home and reduced the likelihood of hospital admission.

People could get information and advice that was accurate, up-to-date and provided in a way that they could understand, and which met their communication needs. Communication needs were identified during initial assessments and clearly recorded, with alerts in place to ensure staff were aware of individuals’ preferences.

The provider demonstrated a structured approach to meeting 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. Information was provided in a range of accessible formats, including large print, easy read and digital methods, and staff adapted their communication styles accordingly. This meant people were better able to understand information and make informed decisions about their care. The service also worked with external organisations to provide specialist support where needed, such as assistive technology services.

Information about people, that was collected and shared, met data protection legislation requirements. Information was stored securely, while electronic information was protected within password protected care systems.

People and relatives knew how to give feedback about their experiences of care and support including how to raise any concerns or issues.

There were systems in place to manage complaints and gather feedback, including a formal process with defined response times. Complaints were investigated, discussed in team meetings and used as an opportunity to reflect and improve practice. For example, issues relating to scheduling and documentation had been identified and addressed through system changes and staff guidance.

People said they felt listened to and that senior staff visited them on regular occasions to seek their views about the care they received. One person said, “They talk to me and ask me questions, we communicate.” One staff member said, “I feel that by being consistent with rotas leads to more trust with customers and from that they are more comfortable to voice their concerns or worries and ask for help or support easier.”

People could access care, treatment and support when they need to and in a way that worked for them, which promoted equality, removes barriers or delays and protects their rights.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, both within the workforce and in care delivery. Staff received training in equality and diversity, and organisational values emphasised inclusivity and respect. Care planning took account of individual needs, including communication requirements and protected characteristics, which supported equitable access to care.

There was clear evidence of reasonable adjustments being made in practice, such as adapting medication information for people with visual impairment and tailoring support for those with anxiety. These actions reduced barriers and enabled people to access care more independently.

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. Care plans were reflective of these differences and took account if their abilities.

The provider had taken structured steps to embed equality and inclusion within both staff practice and care delivery. Training, inclusive policies and organisational values supported staff to understand and respond to individual needs. Examples demonstrated that adjustments were made to care to ensure people experienced equitable support, such as adapting personal care approaches and enabling participation in decision-making in a way that felt comfortable for the individual.

The provider had an Equality and Diversity policy in place, and staff practice and feedback showed a focus on maintaining equality for all those being supported. The management and staff were alert to potential inequality issues and took steps to anticipate and address them.

The service demonstrated an awareness of the importance of planning for future care, including end-of-life support. When it was required, the provider considered and assessed people’s advanced wishes for the future and life changes.

Staff received training in end-of-life care and discussed people’s preferences during assessments and captured information about where individuals wished to receive care. There were established links with palliative care services, such as St Barnabas and ECHO, which supported coordinated care for people approaching the end of life.