Best2 Care Ltd – Gravesend Office

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.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the caring approach of staff. A person told us, “I have a really good rapport with 1 of the carers who I am able to confide in, I trust them, they listen to me and understand.” A relative also commented that, “The carers are very respectful and helpful.”

Care plans highlighted the importance of treating people with dignity and respect and included guidance on providing person-centred support. Staff understood how to uphold people's privacy, dignity and independence in practice. A staff member told us, “Kindness and dignity also include how you speak to people. You must speak to people in a polite manner and listen to them. You also make sure you give them their space and support with personal care in a dignified way.”

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.

People and their relatives told us staff provided personalised care and understood what was important to them. Care plans contained information about people's day-to-day support needs and how these should be met in a way that reflected individual preferences and routines. A relative told us, “The carers we have are very supportive and understand my loved one’s needs and how to handle and motivate them to co-operate, and it is working well.”

Relatives described how staff adapted their approach to meet individual needs and respected established routines that were important to people's wellbeing. For example, a relative explained staff followed their loved one's routine because consistency was important to them. Records also showed people's preferences were respected, including one person who preferred to receive personal care from staff of the same gender.

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

People told us staff supported them to maintain their independence. A person said, “I am fully capable of speaking. I require support with my mobility. I strive to remain as independent as I can and do as much as I can.” Another person told us they were able to prepare their own meals and only requested support when they were unable to do so. Records also showed some people were supported to manage their own medicines, with a person's care plan confirming they were able to self-administer their medication.

Care plans emphasised the importance of promoting independence and encouraging people to maintain existing skills. Daily care records demonstrated how staff supported people to make choices, retain control over their care and participate in decisions about their daily lives.

Staff understood the importance of enabling people to remain independent and exercise choice. A staff member told us, “We get the clients involved because it’s about them. We provide choices and explain the benefits, but it is their right to choose what they want.”

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.

People and relatives told us staff were attentive, understanding and responsive to their individual needs. A person said, “If I am having a bad day the carers will do more to help me through it. They are very obliging and understanding.” Another person told us, “I trust them and they help me feel safe emotionally,” demonstrating the emotional support staff provided alongside practical care.

Relatives also spoke positively about staff's ability to recognise and respond to changing needs. A relative told us, “The carers do everything from washing to feeding, they are very vigilant and would act upon anything if necessary.” Another relative said staff understood their loved one’s needs and were patient, reliable and responsive to their routines and preferences.

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

Staff told us they received regular supervision and ongoing support from the management team. A staff member said, “I get at least monthly supervision and more if I need to. The registered manager is someone I can talk to anytime. She has supported me in many ways to ensure I feel settled and able to do the job. She is a blessing to me.” Feedback discussed during supervisions demonstrated staff were encouraged to reflect on their practice and development needs.

The provider considered staff wellbeing when planning care delivery. Rotas were designed to incorporate days off, allow sufficient travel time between visits and, where possible, accommodate staff's personal circumstances for example staff worked around their family and other personal commitments. Staff told us they had regular contact from the registered manager which helped ensure they felt supported, particularly when working alone. A lone working policy was in place to promote staff safety.