Brighter Home Care

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.

Systems were in place to ensure people’s care and support requirements were comprehensively assessed before the start of their care package to determine if the service could support people’s needs safely and effectively. Key information about people’s support needs, choices and preferences were included as part of the assessment. This was confirmed by people and their relatives. One relative explained the assessment completed by the provider and said, “It was excellent and very thorough. They [managers] came to the house and both [relative] and I felt we were not talked at but very listened to."
 

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.

Since our last assessment, the provider had evaluated their practices and implemented improvements to ensure people received homecare based on evidence-based guidance to ensure people were supported effectively to remain living in their own home.

People’s support requirements, and wishes had been recorded to guide and direct staff in how people liked to be supported. This helped to ensure care delivery was consistently person‑centred and in line with people’s preferences. People and their relatives told us staff consistently worked in line with people’s planned care and respected their wishes and choices.
 

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people.

Staff told us the team and managers worked well together and were informed of any changes in people’s support requirements. The provider met with the staff team regularly to share information, discuss people’s care and give staff the opportunity to raise any concerns.

Communication across the service was reported to be good by staff. The managers had a good understanding of people’s needs and on occasions worked with the staff team to provide care. This helped managers to identify changes in people’s needs and escalate any concerns to external health and social care professionals, as well as people’s relatives.
 

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.

Staff supported people to manage their health and social well-being which promoted people’s independence and choice to remain living in their own home.

People and their relatives told us staff were attentive to people’s requests and preferences, and they were consistently offered encouragement to consider healthier options. For example, people explained their nutritional needs and dietary preferences were always acted on. One relative said, "[Person] is a very picky eater; they [staff] encourage her to eat which is marvellous."

Relatives reported improvements in their family member since being supported by the service. One relative explained how the service had liaised and made referrals to a number of professionals to ensure their family member remained safe.
 

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.

People’s support requirements and the delivery of care was consistently monitored. Managers regularly audited staff’s daily records of the care they had provided to people. This helped the managers ensure people’s care plans were followed by staff and care was monitored and escalated if any concerns were identified.

People and their relatives confirmed they were involved in any care plan reviews and informed of any changes in people’s well-being. Relatives said comments such as; “[Staff] monitor [person] very carefully” and “That is on-going, [staff] monitor [relative] all the time." A clinical tracker had been put into place to help the management team oversee and monitor people’s clinical risks.
 

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

People reported staff consistently asked them for people’s consent before providing care and support. Staff gave people choices and respected their decisions. Staff said, “We always ask whether they are comfortable during personal care. We always ask what they would like to wear and eat.”

Mental capacity assessments had been completed to assess if people had the mental capacity to make specific decisions relating to their care. Staff understood how to support people who lacked mental capacity in ways that prioritised their best interests. Staff and managers had received appropriate Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training appropriate to their role.