Guardian Homecare (Blackburn) achieved a Good rating across all five key questions at its September 2023 inspection, demonstrating safe recruitment, effective medicines management, dignified person-centred care, and strong leadership. Minor issues were noted around occasional late or missed visits, inconsistent record completion, and gaps in family communication, all of which the registered manager was actively addressing.
Concerns (4)
minor
Missed or late visits
: “some people fed back that calls on occasion were late or missed.”
minorCommunication with families: “Some relatives fed back that they were not always kept informed.”
minorRecord keeping: “Some records were more detailed than others. The registered manager told us work was ongoing to ensure staff had completed updated training to ensure records were completed in full.”
minorEnd-of-life care: “The provider was in the process of designing a specific end of life support plan to use as required.”
Strengths
· People felt safe and staff understood safeguarding procedures; ongoing investigations were managed with appropriate action and CQC notifications.
· Medicines were managed safely with person-centred medicines care plans, competency checks, and engagement with healthcare professionals.
· Staff were recruited safely with relevant checks; sufficient staffing levels maintained and rotas provided electronically in advance.
· People were treated with dignity and respect, involved in care planning, and mostly had their gender preference for staff honoured.
· Robust audit and monitoring systems in place electronically, with senior audits and action plans supporting continuous improvement.
Quality-Statement breakdown (21)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and management; Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely care; Supporting people to live healthier livesGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care; Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolationGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careGood