Bloom & Care Limited

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• 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

As part of this assessment, we looked at 3 quality statements for the key question of responsive. These were person-centred care, equity in experiences and outcomes and planning for the future. People were involved in planning and making shared decisions about their care and treatment, so it was centred around them and their needs. Staff empowered people to give their views and understand their rights, including their rights to equality and their human rights. People received exceptional end of life care and were supported to make informed choices to plan their future care.

This service scored 86 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People received truly personalised care that was responsive to their needs and the management team constantly looked for ways that would improve people's lives, health, and wellbeing. For example, 1 person loved to take their dog out for a walk but kept getting lost. The provider arranged for a member of staff to walk the dog with them so they could continue doing what they enjoyed. Staff had worked closely with 1 person who really wanted to get back to single care and minimal visits a day after a hospital admission. The staff supported the person with their physio exercises and started taking short walks together. The person’s mobility improved, and the provider was able to reduce their care visits. Without exception everyone we spoke with said that when care was being planned at the start of the service, the management and staff spent a lot of time with them. One person said, “I am always listened to, and my views and opinions are always respected. I get the best care and I wouldn't want it any other way." A relative commented, "We feel fully involved in the process of care. It has all been exceptional and the care meets all my [family members] needs.”

The service was creative and innovative in supporting people to live well and independently, especially those living with dementia. There were dementia champions (staff that have a special interest in dementia and improving the care and experience of people living with dementia) and a dementia corner which was accessible to all staff on the company’s app. This meant staff could instantly access up to date advice and best practice guidance to ensure people received the care they needed. We spoke with a dementia champion who said, "I am very enthusiastic and passionate about supporting people with dementia. I have asked for more training about dementia language so I can share my knowledge with the staff team and make the care even better." Care and support plans included a range of personalised information about people, their history, and personal interests. Talking about the values of the service, 1 staff member said, “It’s about supporting people to have a happy life and to stay as independent as possible. We always try to get people involved in decisions that surround their care.”

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Listening to and involving people during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Equity in access during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

People felt empowered by the management and staff team to give their views and understand their rights, including their rights to equality and their human rights. The registered manager informed us, "We carry out face to face well-being checks, always complete annual reviews and have regular telephone conversations to gain feedback from people. We also have information in our newsletters as well as highlighting our client guide so that clients/advocates know they can always voice any concerns or even if it’s just for a chat. We send out surveys and staff monitoring forms are completed when staff have an observation of their practice so people can give feedback."

The provider was exceptionally responsive to the views and recommendations of people and staff for improving the care people received. One person said, "I only have to suggest something, and it's done. The staff really value my opinions." A relative told us, "We have regular visits from the managers, and they always check to see if we are happy with the care." Another relative commented, "Communication is excellent. There are phone calls, regular visits at home, and we are asked to complete satisfaction surveys so we can always say how we feel, but I know I can always call the office at any time, and they will take time to talk with us."

Engaging with people and finding out their views took place in several different ways. There were regular home visits with people where they were encouraged to give their views about the service. People were asked to provide feedback via satisfaction surveys which we looked at and saw very positive feedback. Records confirmed there were annual reviews of people's care where they were asked to have their say about the quality of their care. Effective communication systems were in place to ensure that staff were kept up to date with any changes to people's care and support systems to staff. They confirmed they had regular staff meetings and 1 to 1 meetings with a senior staff member.

The registered manager told us that 1 person who was being supported at the end of their life was cared for by a [family member]. A staff member noticed how exhausted they looked and at the end of their shift the staff member popped back to the person’s home and persuaded the [family member] to go off and have a relaxing bath and freshen up whilst they sat with their relative. The [family member] was grateful and was able to take an hour for themselves. End-of-life care for some people had been mentioned in several eulogies of people who had received end of life care and support. The registered manager commented, “We have found this to be such an honour, to be part of someone’s life for such a small segment of it and our team to have made a huge impact on those last days.”

People had advanced care plans whereby in the assessment and re-assessment process information was gathered about their wishes and preferences for the future. The care plans enabled staff to provide care in line with people’s wishes and preferences. One staff member was the End-of-life Champion and they had also completed training in relation to bereavement, death and dying making them a vital lifeline to people and families. We saw they were also enrolled on an End-of-Life champion course with a local hospice. Staff supported families regularly when they were providing end of life care to a relative, and once their relative has passed away they offered continued well-being support and guided them if they felt this was appropriate, to the palliative care hub for further counselling/support.

We spoke with a relative whose family member had received care and support at the end of their life. They told us, "The support my [family member] had at the end of their life was all done with the utmost care. The carers were all so kind, caring and respectful, nothing was a trouble. They were very supportive of us as family, especially towards the end. The care was always to meet the needs of my [family member] and not what was convenient to the service. The manager was in regular contact with us throughout, checking if there was anything else they could do. Since my [family member] died, the carers still come to support my other [family member] to help them to get used to being on their own. We are very grateful for all they do, and I can’t speak highly enough of the company. I would recommend it 100%." Staff were sensitive and compassionate to the needs of people’s families when they were receiving end of life care. During the final days before 1 person passed away a staff member noticed that the family were barely eating as they were always by the person's bedside. The staff member went away and prepared a large shepherd’s pie and returned to the last call of the day with it.