Our Good Governance Framework sets out how improvements to our services will be achieved. It is important for the growth and sustainability of the company that a continual improvement cycle is in place which identifies any deficits so improvement plans can be implemented putting residents first whilst ensuring a safe environment for our staff to work.
Regular audits are a vital tool in the continual drive for improvement for Belmont Healthcare Group
We have developed a mock inspection toolkit to be periodically completed by the quality team. The purpose of the toolkit is to check the effectiveness of the service implementation, policies and procedures which support the compliance of the service. This forms part of the Plan, Do, Check, Act, quality assurance framework which underlies all effective business management.
PLAN - the policies and procedures and regulatory framework governing the service.
Do - the day-to-day actions of all employees and others, such as contractors and volunteers, implementing the policies and procedures.
Check - checking that the policies and regulatory framework is being followed.
Act - identifying the reasons for any non-compliance, set actions, responsibilities and timescales to bring back to compliance.
People are the building blocks of any quality management process and our staff engage with continuous improvement activities. The only point where true responsibility for quality lies is with the person doing the job or carrying out the administrative process. This includes senior management who are committed to a culture of continuous improvement and an effective mechanism of recognising individual contributions.
How will you ensure the safeguarding and risk management requirements set out in the local authority contract will be met?
Safeguarding our residents is at the centre of the values we hold. It runs through everything we do. Policy, procedure and risk assessments are in place to minimise risks. We have a robust recruitment process that minimises the risks to our residents by ensuring we only employ staff with the right attitude, skills and training to meet their needs.
All staff have a enhanced DBS check and are fully referenced. Staff undertake an induction which highlights our vision and values. They also receive all the basic training they need and a localised service induction to support them to meet the needs of people we provide a service to. Regular audits of all services take place and staff receive a minimum of six supervisions a year as well as an annual appraisal.
How will you involve and gain feedback from the individuals accessing your service?
In order to improve we identify the areas for improvement by obtaining feedback from all stakeholders involved in the service. A stakeholder could be:
The feedback is gathered in four distinct ways, all of which relate to different areas of activity.
Visitor feedback
We value the views and opinions of visitors and use all comments and information received as an opportunity for service improvement and our philosophy of reflective practice.
Resident-led feedback
This is core to the delivery of a person-centred quality service and residents must be involved in the day to day choices of care, be listened to and encouraged to influence and shape their services.
True user involvement must reflect their needs and preferences but more importantly explore their experience of our service and how it met or failed to meet their expectations.
We can only improve the quality of service delivery if we are aware of any shortfalls. This means engagement with the resident, their family, or representative on a continual basis. It is often the case that it takes a period of time to build a honest and professional working rapport with a resident, but we recognise it is vital to build a trusting relationship based on open and honest dialogue.
Sometimes things do not always work as they should so setting the scene for a positive relationship from the beginning by using clear and open methods of communication is essential to maintain a quality user led service.
Professional multi-agency feedback
It is vital that multi-agency relationships are built up and there is a mutual understanding of roles and boundaries which encourage honest and open communication between professionals. This ensures defined outcomes and goals are met i.e. that the safety, welfare and independence of residents is at the core of the service delivery.
Staff supervision
This important cycle can be difficult and sometimes challenging for staff but by adopting a reflective model of supervision and learning from errors the culture of reflection will enable staff to view supervision as a positive learning experience which enhances practice and improves experience.
The Local Authority (L.A.)
This comes in various guises but this regulator is usually found within the Contracts Monitoring section of the local authority. It is important to understand that the purpose of this regulator is to monitor the contract terms and specification. Knowledge of both documents is essential in order to meet the monitoring criteria.
How will you comply with statutory and legal obligations?
Belmont Healthcare Group is fully aware of its legal obligations with regard to Health and Safety, employment and regulatory responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. Our robust quality assurance monitoring systems give the board confidence that we are compliant with all regulatory requirements. Any areas for improvement are identified and actions put in place to address any known shortfalls.
How will you ensure business continuity at all times?
Belmont Healthcare Group believes that a key element in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its residents is the organisation's ability to cope in the event of an emergency or crisis, particularly one that affects critical systems.
The company understands that business continuity management is a process that can be applied to any business, small or large, as an aid to manage the risks that may threaten its survival in the event of an emergency. The objective is to identify the critical functions or activities in an organisation and to ensure that any risk to these areas can be reduced or responded to in an effective way.
The process is a continuing cycle of risk assessment with four main steps.
For each set of hazards the risks to these areas should be evaluated and the recovery priority assessed.
Procedure
5. For each set of hazards the risks to these areas will be evaluated and the recovery priority assessed. Categories may include the following:
6. Once the critical points have been identified, along with the threats that might affect them and the importance of recovering them, a plan will be developed for each area identifying what needs to be done and in what order.
Your first step towards personalised home care services starts with a free no obligation conversation.
Simply complete the form below and we’ll be in touch, or call us on 0333 444 0121