Zara Healthcare

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 was our first assessment of Zara Healthcare Ltd and we rated it 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 always 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.

The care plans we reviewed were of a consistent standard and addressed every aspect of a person's care and support building on their strengths and risk-based approach,

Care plans were regularly reviewed with people who were partners in their care with their feedback being listened too and valued. A staff member said about care plans, "My annual training reinforces the principles of dignity, respect, equality, communication, and individualised care. For example, “one person said, “I’m still doing quite a lot for myself, doing the washing, walking, doing a bit of tidying. They don’t push in on that; they just help where asked.”

We saw the care plans reflected, goals, preferences, routines and any cultural aspects of their care including gender specific care.

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.

The skills mix and the knowledge of the team helped ensure a well-planned and organised workforce who in turn were skilled at meeting people's needs with multiple care needs. A health care professional said the assessments and care were well supported. The daily notes clearly showed staff chasing up health issues ensuring people received timely and appropriate support.

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

Everyone spoken with were aware they had a care plan in place and staff had access to the information they needed and, they were able to escalate concerns about care delivery, so this was quickly resolved. The management team carried staff spot checks, reviews and delivered hands on care so were familiar with people’s needs. The registered manager assessed staff members’ strengths and experience so they could match them with people who required those specific skills. Information was shared on a need-to-know basis and consideration was given tosecurity and confidentiality.

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.

People told us they had copy of the complaints policy in the information pack in the folder left at the home. Everyone we spoke with said they would feel confident if they needed to make a complaint, as they knew the registered manager and trusted her. None had needed to. A couple of people had mentioned minor issues which were dealt with, and we raised an issue with an immediate response. Some people told us that they had a questionnaire asking for their feedback on the service and they said senior staff also visited and telephoned them frequently, taking this opportunity to ask for feedback. We saw evidence of how feedback was analysed for action as part of a robust quality assurance system.

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

Access to services were made easier by providing clear, legible assessments, a service user guide and details of service delivery and actions to take should the person not be satisfied. Care plans focused on people’s needs and care and support was planned around people using the service.

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.

Staff showed a good understanding of people's needs, rights and expectations. They felt empowered to speak out and understood what constituted poor practice. They felt at ease to speak to their manager or team leader but did say if concerns were about the leadership team they felt able to raise with other professional bodies. Effective communication tools, quality assurance systems and audits helped promote fairness and equality and ensure the safe provision of care and access to services when needed. Through the empowerment and development of staff they were able to advocate and defend the rights, needs and best interests of the people they were supporting.

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.

Staff were holistic in their approach to support and help people manage and maintain their daily living skills and health. Hospital admissions where necessary were supported by staff in an emergency service and would review people’s needs on return. Equipment helped facilitate people’s independence and staff knew how to respond to people’s immediate and changing needs.

The agency responded to people’s changing needs and were able to put in additional care calls if necessary. Examples given to us were when a person required more support due to an infection and needing regular antibiotics or where a person's health had become unstable. The registered manager did say they could struggle with capacity at times and hoped through ongoing recruitment to have additional staff and had contacts with other agencies should they need support.