Goldcrest Heathcare Service (Birmingham)

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

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way which focused on people’s individual needs and wishes. People were encouraged to be independent and were supported to help achieve their goals and aspirations by staff who knew them well. People were treated with kindness and respect.

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.

People and their relatives told us they were treated with respect and dignity. One person said, “They are very considerate, and they go out of their way to make sure things are right.”

Staff told us how they supported people in a kind and compassionate way, respecting people’s privacy and dignity. One staff member said, “During personal care, I close doors, and I cover people up. If people are reluctant to receive care, I would leave it for a while and then try again.”

Professionals told us the quality of care had improved since the new management structure had been in post. They shared no concerns with us regarding the quality of care.

We received mixed feedback from people and their relatives. Some relatives told us staff treated them as individuals and were familiar with their needs, preferences and daily routines. One person told us, “The carers know to fill my hot water bottle up because I can’t screw the lid. I used to have a tick off list which has given them confidence. We can talk about religion.” However, some relatives told us people were not always able to do the things they wanted to do. One person told us, “My nighttime call is at 7.30pm which is a bit early now. It is because they have more clients.” We raised this with the management team who confirmed discussions had been arranged to ensure call times were in line with people preferences.

Staff demonstrated they understood people’s needs and wishes and treated them as individuals. One staff member told us, “[Name of service user] likes things to be done in a set manner and we deliver care in line with their preferences.”

The provider had policies that put people at the centre of their care and treated them as individuals. Staff received training in person centred care. People’s care plans were up to date, personalised and contained detailed information about their likes, dislikes and how they preferred staff to meet their care needs.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the care they received and the positive caring relationships they experienced. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible, make day to day decisions about their lives and supported with learning daily living skills. People were supported to follow and take part in their interests, maintain links with the wider community and relationships that were important to them to promote and support their independence, health and wellbeing. A relative told us, “We feel involved. We let the carers know what activities we want [name of service user] to do. We say we would like them to bath 3 or 4 times a week. We work along with the carers.”

Staff showed an understanding and commitment in providing person centred care and helping people to identify their goals. Staff told us how they supported people in line with their individual preferences. Staff said they were committed to ensuring that people received person-centred care and they enabled people to have choice and control of their lives.

The service provided people with personalised care according to their specific needs and wishes. Information available to staff included how people communicated and how others should communicate with them. Information was available in a pictorial format for people who required this. The service used different forms of communication to ensure people could express themselves and makes choices regarding their care. People participated in care planning and reviews. This also involved staff, relatives and other healthcare professionals. People’s needs were regularly monitored and reviewed. When a person’s needs changed, the service worked closely with healthcare professionals to ensure measures were put in place if additional support was required.

People told us they were confident staff would respond to a change in their health needs and that when they required support, staff responded quickly.

Staff told us how they took time to get to know people which helped them build positive relationships. Staff said they knew people well enough to recognise when there was a change in their physical or mental health. They were aware of the need to contact various professionals so additional support could be sought.

Staff told us they had plenty of opportunities to give feedback and were confident their views and opinions were valued. Regular meetings and supervisions took place, which enabled positive conversations. One staff member told us, “They check if everything is ok. They listen.” A relative told us, “The manager always phones and asks to see how the carers are doing. We let them know the truth. The managers check on them.” The management team were aware of workforce diversity and gave examples of where adjustments had been made to support staff with their personal circumstances, health conditions or cultural needs.

Staff wellbeing and inclusion was promoted through a range of training employee assistance programmes and staff groups. The registered manager routinely used supervision and group team meetings to engage and support staff through any areas of concern or identify any training needs. We saw policies and procedures in place to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion was upheld. The provider told us they were fully committed to these principles and values and were a responsive service and were able to meet diverse needs.