Helping Hands Bromley

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.

The provider consistently treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. People and their relatives spoke positively about the caring approach of staff and the relationships they had built with them. A person said, “Most of the care staff are fantastic, extremely kind, friendly and helpful.” Another person mentioned, “The carers are kind, polite, understanding. I think they are patient too.” One relative told us, “The carers have been good. We have been happy with the care provided.” They explained that staff took time to talk with them and showed a genuine interest in their wellbeing, which helped reduce feelings of isolation.

People told us their care was delivered in a dignified and respectful way. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of how to promote dignity, privacy and respect when providing personal care. One staff member told us, “Making sure you do not expose people unduly,” and explained how they maintained people's privacy during care tasks by ensuring doors and curtains were closed and involving people in decisions about their care.

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.

The provider considered factors such as people's interests, life experiences, cultural preferences, language needs and preferences for male or female carers when matching staff to people.

People benefited from being supported by regular staff, which enabled positive relationships to develop and helped staff gain a detailed understanding of their needs. One relative told us staff knew their family member well and understood how best to support them. They said, “A gentleman comes and knows how to deal with them. Sometimes I can't get my relative to do things, but they come and manages to. It has been helpful.”

Care plans included information about people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, cultural needs, backgrounds and staff demonstrated a good understanding of the people they supported and adapted their approach to meet individual needs.

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

Care plans included information about people’s strengths, abilities and the support they could manage independently, helping staff to provide care that maximised rather than reduced independence.

People told us they were involved in decisions about their care and were encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves. One person said, “I'm quite capable of telling them what I want. They always check with me to confirm.” Another person told us, “I can take and manage my own medications. I can do some of my personal care but need carers around.”

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of promoting independence and respecting people's choices. One staff member told us, “I always try to get people to do whatever they can themselves, such as washing their face or cutting up their food, while providing support where needed.” Staff also explained they regularly asked people how they wanted their care delivered and did not make assumptions, recognising that people's preferences, routines and decisions could change from day to day.

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.

Care plans included guidance on supporting people’s emotional wellbeing. For example, staff were advised how to reassure people who became distressed about changes in their health or who experienced anxiety around unfamiliar people. Regular carers were used where possible to provide consistency and reduce anxiety.

Relatives told us staff understood people’s emotional needs and adapted their approach accordingly. One relative said their family member experienced depression and could be difficult to motivate, but staff knew how to encourage and engage them positively, adding, “I hear them having a laugh and small chats, which is nice.”

People and relatives also told us staff were responsive to immediate needs. For example, staff adjusted visit times to support people attending appointments and assisted with tasks such as shopping or laundry when needed. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s emotional and practical needs and adapted their support accordingly.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had measures in place to support staff with their health and wellbeing, including risk assessments for staff with medical conditions, flexible working arrangements and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

Staff described the provider as flexible and accommodating, particularly for those with childcare responsibilities. One staff member told us, “Flexibility is accommodated and I like the company for that. They give you customers around your postcode so you don’t spend hours travelling, which can be stressful.” Staff also told us they were encouraged to take annual leave and were offered contracts that supported a healthy work-life balance.

The provider took practical steps to support staff wellbeing. For example, during periods of hot weather, staff received guidance encouraging them to stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothing instead of uniforms and make use of office facilities for breaks if needed.

The manager carried out regular welfare checks for staff providing live-in care. Relief staff were arranged to support them, enabling them to take daily breaks and maintain their wellbeing while delivering care.