Lancashire home care provider 'passionate' about 'achieving best outcomes' rated 'outstanding'

A home care provider in Lancashire where staff members are seen as ‘passionate’ about supporting clients to ‘achieve best outcomes,’ has been rated by the care regulator as ‘outstanding’.

Westmorland Homecare Poulton, Fylde and Wyre which provides hundreds of hours of care each week to enable elderly and frail people to live independently in their own homes has been given the top rating in its first inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

In its published report, the CQC highlighted staff members being ‘passionate’ about supporting clients to achieve best outcomes. ‘One staff member told the inspectors they had taken a client to a Blackpool Football Club match.

'They said, "I'm a football fan and [client's] hero and friend was Stan Mortenson [Blackpool Footballer]. The office helped arrange for me to take him to a match and visit Stan's statue. They said 'I miss you' to the statue. It was so emotional."'

The report also highlighted that it was ‘apparent there was a caring culture embedded at every level of the organisation where people were valued and respected as individuals.’ One staff member when meeting clients for the first time at their introductory meeting took a bunch of daffodils.

They told inspectors: "It breaks the ice, they remember you. Because you see them regularly, you get to know them, and they become part of your family.”

'We don't have an office team and a care team, we are one team'

The report also highlighted how the service was ‘consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care. Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering, which achieves good outcomes for people.

It stated the service had a ‘clear vision and credible strategies to deliver high-quality care and support, and promote a positive culture that was person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering which achieved good outcomes for people.’

Staff reported a positive culture that was ‘enabling, supportive’ and felt valued. The registered manager told inspectors: "We don't have an office team and a care team, we are one team.”

Registered manager Becky Ashmore said: “We strive to provide outstanding care and that has been recognised.

“We started about three years ago in 2019 and we were going along nicely, then the Covid pandemic hit and we faced many challenges. To be rated as ‘outstanding’ is testament to the amazing care shown by our health care assistants and the way they have kept their clients and themselves safe.

“In some cases, the families of clients who lived some distance away could not come to their relatives during lockdowns and our health care assistants had to step in to their roles to some extent.

“The dedication and passion they have for their clients means it is natural for them to go above and beyond. We don’t ask them to do it - they do it because of the bond they have.”

Ms Ashmore also highlighted how Westmorland Homecare (Wyre & Fylde) had contacted local garden centres, which donated pots, soil and sunflower seeds.

Care workers took these to their clients' homes and helped them to plant the seeds. “It was a little thing, but it made a big difference to clients’ lives - it was something different and positive for them to focus on during the pandemic.”

'You have given me friends who care for me'

In its overall summary the CQC report stated: ‘People benefitted from exceptionally caring staff that provided continuity of support. The feedback from people demonstrated the caring and empowering culture was well embedded across the organisation.’

It added: ‘People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.’

In the ‘Is the service caring?’ section, the report stated: ‘People told us they were treated with respect. One person in a questionnaire commented: “You have given me friends who care for me”.’

And one relative stated: "They are brilliant carers, kind and caring, they go above and beyond."

Company director Russell Crossley said: “It’s never easy to be recognised as an outstanding care provider, especially throughout a pandemic and all the crisis that surrounds one. The rating is recognition of our staff’s excellence, hard work, perseverance and an absolute positive impact on our clients’ lives.”

To read the full report, go to https://api.cqc.org.uk/public/v1/reports/f2b39823-d3ab-45d0-bf53-a54f7e94f334?20220209130000

click here for more details or to contact Westmorland Homecare