BBC CARE SERVICE LIMITED- Walton on Thames branch (New)

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to consent. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation.

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’s needs were assessed before they began to use the service. Initial assessments recorded people’s strengths and their preferences about how they wished to be supported as well as their care needs.

People and their relatives told us the provider had carried out a comprehensive assessment before they began to use the service. They said they had been encouraged to discuss their needs and preferences about their care. A relative told us, “[Provider] came round and went through everything very thoroughly.”

The provider planned and delivered people’s care 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.

The provider used recognised evidence-based assessment tools to monitor and assess people’s needs. The provider ensured staff were kept up-to-date with relevant legislation, evidence-based good practice, and required standards.

People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met. Relatives confirmed staff knew their family members’ food preferences and promoted good hydration. One relative told us, “I often leave [family member] a sandwich and anything else he would like. Sometimes [member of staff] will do [family member] an oven meal as he likes them at lunchtime. [Member of staff] makes sure he has lots of fluids.”

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.

Relatives told us the provider ensured good continuity of care when their family members’ regular care workers were away. Relatives said the provider allocated cover staff who had supported their family member before, and that cover staff always had a handover from their family member’s regular care worker. A relative told us, “[Cover staff] will come for a couple of weekends with [regular member of staff]. They sit with [family member] all day to get to know him, and [regular member of staff] will show them what to do.”

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their choice and control.

Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. People’s care plans contained information about any medical conditions they had and how these may affect them. Care plans also outlined any risks involved with these conditions and the action staff needed to take to mitigate these.

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 care plans provided guidance for staff about the monitoring they should carry out in addition to providing people’s care. For example, staff were instructed to monitor the condition of people’s skin and to report any concerns they had to the management team and the person’s family.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff understood the importance of involving people in their care and gaining their consent on a day-to-day basis. A relative told us, “[Member of staff] always asks [family member] before he does anything. He is very gentle with [family member], very patient. You can tell he is that kind of person.”

The provider had assessed people’s capacity to make decisions about their care. Where people lacked capacity to make decisions, the provider consulted those legally authorised to make decisions on their behalf.

The deputy manager outlined the approach to capacity and consent staff were expected to adopt, saying, “We should never make an assumption that someone does not have capacity; sometimes they just need support to make a decision. And if we have to make a decision, always make sure it is in their best interests, and always use the least restrictive option.”