Helping Hands Bromley

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

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

This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

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’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People and their relatives told us they were involved in initial assessments and discussions about their care and support.

The provider gathered information from people, their relatives and relevant professionals to develop a comprehensive understanding of people’s needs before care commenced, including their physical health, mental wellbeing, daily living requirements, communication needs, personal circumstances and risks.

Staff worked collaboratively with healthcare and social care professionals, including GPs, community mental health teams and other specialists, to ensure people’s needs were accurately assessed and supported.

Records showed people’s needs were reviewed when their circumstances changed, helping to ensure care remained appropriate, effective and safe.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

People and their relatives told us staff understood their conditions and followed agreed treatment plans. One relative said, “Staff are trained, understand my relative’s complex needs and follow the treatment plan.”

The provider used a range of assessment tools to identify and review people’s needs, including nutritional risk assessments, falls risk assessments, moving and handling assessments, pressure ulcer risk assessments and condition-specific assessments.

Staff completed condition-specific training to support people effectively. Care records showed staff supported people living with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and took action to reduce identified risks. For example, staff supported people at risk of malnutrition with high-calorie nutritional shakes and assisted people to reposition regularly to maintain comfort and reduce the risk of pressure damage.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Where people returned home following a hospital stay, staff liaised with hospital discharge teams to obtain up-to-date information about their health, care needs and any changes to their circumstances. This included checking whether specialist equipment or additional support was required before care resumed.

People’s care needs were reviewed following discharge to ensure care plans reflected their current needs and risks. Staff understood the importance of sharing relevant information and maintaining key documents, including Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) forms. These forms recorded people's preferences for emergency care and treatment and helped ensure their wishes were understood and respected by all professionals involved in their care.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People and relatives told us staff supported them to access healthcare services and respond appropriately to changes in their health. One person told us staff often accompanied them to medical appointments, helping them attend and understand any advice or treatment recommendations. A relative said staff knew what action to take in a medical emergency and were confident they would respond appropriately if their family member became unwell.

Care records showed staff monitored people’s wellbeing and sought advice from healthcare professionals when concerns arose.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Care plans included clear goals based on what was important to people and what they wanted to achieve from their care. For example, people were supported to remain living at home, maintain their comfort and dignity, continue meaningful activities and relationships, remain involved in decisions about their care, and receive support with personal care, nutrition and medicines.

People and their relatives told us the service contacted them regularly to review their care, discuss whether outcomes were being achieved and identify any changes needed to their support. Care records showed people's needs and outcomes were reviewed and updated when their circumstances changed.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

People and their relatives consistently told us staff sought consent before providing care or carrying out tasks. One person said, “I'm quite capable of telling them what I want. They always ask me and I tell them.”

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the importance of consent and knew how to respond if they had concerns about a person's capacity to make decisions. One staff member told us, “Customers have the right to refuse, but if a customer was refusing care and I was concerned about them, I would report it to the office and they would arrange a meeting to discuss it with the person’s best interests in mind.”

Records showed consent to care and support had been obtained and documented. Family members and next of kin were involved in decision-making where appropriate. Where people had appointed Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for financial affairs or health and welfare decisions, these arrangements were recognised and considered when planning care and support.

The provider used Mental Capacity Act (MCA) assessments, best interests decision-making processes, and legal representatives appropriately to help ensure people’s rights, choices, and preferences were respected.