HEALTHCARE inspectors have heaped praise on Bracknell Forest Council’s emergency responder service.

Forestcare, which provides personal care as part of an emergency responder service, was rated ‘good’ by the care quality commission (CQC) after a visit in February.

Staff are called out when someone has a fall and cannot get up, when another agency has not been able to provide care, when a rapid response for unplanned hospital discharges is needed, and more.

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One way residents signed up to the service can contact emergency responders for support by pressing a big red button on a pendant.

This feature is popular with users, the CQC discovered, as people found it reassuring to know they only had to press the button to get assistance.

Bracknell News:

One user told the Commission: “It is nice to know they are there.

“They are absolutely splendid."

The council-run provision is a 24-hour, 365 days-a-year telephone-based service.

During the seven months between June 2019 and December 2019, staff visited 263 people in response to an emergency.

Out of those visits, personal care was provided 56 times.

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When carrying out responder visits, staff are quick to identify when people need healthcare support and are able to seek assistance promptly and appropriately, the CQC reported.

Another subscriber said: “I can only speak highly of them.

“Their care and attention is first class."

Bracknell News:

Forestcare was rated in five different categories which deemed how caring, effective, safe, well-led and responsive it was.

In all five categories, the service was rated good.

Healthcare professionals who had worked with the service in summer 2019 told the CQC about an incident where a caller had hurt himself having fallen and could not get back up.

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The Forestcare agent who responded to the man’s contact called for an ambulance and over the course of the next 20 minutes, the agent re-assured the caller until help arrived.

Bracknell News:

The professional said: “From our observations on site and listening to calls in May and June 2019, staff took the time to treat people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect, and were not rushing to meet a target time to complete a call.

“Staff regularly took the necessary time that was needed to support a caller in receiving the service they deserved."