Westminster Homecare Limited – West London

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.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 provider 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 told us the care and support they received was personal to them. Most people said they had regular care staff, who knew them and their needs very well. One person told us, “I am very happy with the service. They [care staff] treat me as an individual human being and they always do things exactly how I like them to be done.”

Staff told us they recognised people as individuals, who each had their separate and specific support needs. They said it was beneficial being able to support the same people on a regular basis, as they could get to know people well and have a true understanding of their wants, needs and preferences. Staff also told us there was detailed information in people’s care plans and risk assessments and they worked hard to make sure people received care and support that was centred around them.

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 and their representatives told us staff worked well to ensure people received flexible support to meet their needs and contacted other services when required. A person’s representative told us, “If my relative is unwell, the carers contact the GP and the GP then calls me.”

Staff told us they followed people’s care plans, but also ensured flexibility so people could make different choices during care visits if they wanted. Staff said they also supported some people to go shopping, access the local community and go for walks. A member of staff said, “I always check what people want to do. They might not be in the mood to do exactly the same thing every time I go, so I fit in with them. It’s their choice.”

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

People and their representatives confirmed they had access to relevant information, including care plans and daily notes. A person’s representative told us, “Management are fine. We’ve also got a book we all use, so we know where [name] is at each day, which helps.”

Staff told us they made sure people had their communication needs assessed, and information was available to people in different formats if this was needed. A member of staff described using picture communication cards with a person and explained how the person would point to the picture, or staff could point, to help understanding.

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.The service had effective systems and processes to help ensure people knew how to give feedback about their care and support, including how to raise any concerns or issues. There were also processes in place for the staff and management team to learn from complaints and concerns and use them as opportunities for improvement.

People and their representatives told us they knew who to contact if they had any concerns or wanted to make a complaint. A person’s representative told us, “The manager is easy to get along with. [Name] is very efficient and approachable.” A person using the service said, “I phone management if there’s an issue, or the carer sorts it.” Another person told us, “We could always ring them if we needed to.”

However, some people told us that, despite complaining about timekeeping, there still continued to be issues. One person’s representative told us, “I have had to complain to management about timekeeping.”

Staff told us they listened to people and, if there were any concerns, they supported them to contact the office so their voices would be heard and improvements could be made.

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

People’s care packages were reviewed and staff stayed in regular contact with the office and management team, to ensure people’s changing needs were responded to quickly. Staff supported people to access other health and social care services hen required and assisted people with health care appointments and called emergency services if required.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The service had effective processes and systems in place to help ensure people were able to access the resources they needed and live their lives as they chose, without discrimination.

People we spoke with and their representatives told us they felt they were treated fairly and supported in accordance with their individual needs and wishes. Nobody had experienced any discrimination or inequality. People told us the care workers helped them access external resources when they needed them. A person we spoke with did not speak English as their first language but was happy for their care staff to translate for them. This person confirmed that they were happy with the support they received and did not want it to change. They also confirmed that other care staff from the service also spoke and understood their native language.

Staff told us they took time to ensure good communication with the people they supported. This helped them to understand each other, so people’s needs and wishes could be met. Staff gave examples of speaking slowly and clearly, using picture communication cards, objects of reference or pointing. A member of staff told us how they made sure a person had their hearing aids, so they could hear better. Another member of staff described taking a person for a walk each week. They said it was the person’s choice and decision if, when and where they wished to go out.

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.We saw that staff had completed training for supporting people at the end of their life and, when needed, staff said they worked closely with the person, their families, GPs and other palliative care professionals.

People told us they had opportunities to discuss their future wishes and this information was recorded in their care plans. A person’s representative told us, “I am aware of end of life and we will follow our [own] tradition when that time comes. When families are in this position it needs to work for the family member and their families. Theirs [the service] is the recipe for success. I feel supported.”Another person’s representative said, “We are going through the end of life details with our relative and making the plans.” A further person’s representative confirmed, “My relative does have a DNR (do not resuscitate) in place and we have discussed end of life.”