The Recruitment Partnership Also known as Total Care UK

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this registered service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 62 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a risk of people’s care and treatment being ineffective because the provider did not always ensure people’s plans of care were up to date and accurate.

Care plans did not always contain sufficient detail about people’s health conditions. For example, one person was known to have epilepsy, but there was no guidance in their care record to support staff in managing this need. This posed a risk staff may not respond appropriately. The provider acknowledged this and confirmed care records would be reviewed to include relevant information.

Although some improvements were needed to the records, people and relatives confirmed they had been involved in the assessment of their needs before they used the service. People said staff knew them well, understood their needs and how they preferred their care to be delivered. One person said, “[Staff names] are really good and know what I need as they come often.” A relative said, “The carers are really good with my relative, they know how to support them well.”

Staff we spoke with confirmed they knew people well and understood how to support them in line with their needs. Staff told us they gained further information from people where needed to ensure they helped supported them effectively.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

People and relatives, we spoke with confirmed staff supported them in line with what was important to them and how they wanted care to be delivered, and staff told us they monitored people’s health, including people’s skin care and any change or deterioration to their needs.

Staff received training in areas such as dementia care, catheter care, and infection control, based on current best practice. They were able to apply this knowledge confidently in people’s homes, supporting safe and effective care delivery.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people.

People told us staff worked well with other professionals to support their health and wellbeing. One person said, “One carer called the nurse for me. I’ve had two district nurses coming. They [staff] are good at making sure I keep well.” A relative told us, “If [name] is unwell or their skin is red, they let me know and I contact the doctor.” This showed staff were proactive in working with families and health professionals to make sure people got the right care.

Staff worked well with other professionals like district nurses, GPs, and social workers to make sure people received joined-up care. They shared information quickly and clearly, helping to avoid delays and making sure care was consistent and well-organised.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People and relatives told us staff supported them to maintain their independence and manage their health and wellbeing. One person said, “They [staff] help me with everything I need, but they always ask me first so if I feel able, I can do bits for myself.” A relative told us, “[Name] washes their face themselves, but their mobility isn’t good. They do encourage my family member to do as much as they can.”

Staff understood the importance of promoting independence and supporting people to make choices about their care. Care records showed people were referred to healthcare professionals when needed, helping to maintain their wellbeing and support healthier lifestyles.

Improvements were needed to the provider’s monitoring and recording of people’s care and treatment to ensure changes in care provision were up to date and accurate.

The provider completed reviews of people’s care. However, improvements were needed to ensure records were updated as soon as changes had occurred in people’s care to ensure people received consistent support. This had not affected people’s care as staff knew people well and changes had been communicated between staff. The provider acted on the feedback we provided to ensure there was a plan in place to update the care records.

People and relatives, we spoke with confirmed staff monitored care and needs raising any concerns as they identified them. One relative said, “I have access to the care plan, it’s at my relative’s home and I’m always involved in planning and when any changes are needed.”

Staff monitored people’s needs and raised concerns as and when required. Staff told us they completed daily records and tasks to monitor any changes in people’s needs, which were read by all staff to ensure they were aware of any changes.

The provider did not always have the information required to ensure representatives who made decisions on behalf of people had the legal authority in place. Improvements were needed to ensure staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

Care plans reflected people’s ability to make decisions about their care, and staff recorded when a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) was in place. Relatives confirmed they were involved appropriately. For example, one relative said, “The manager knows to contact my other relative who has LPA if anything needs to change.” However, the LPA document was not on file, meaning the provider and staff could not be sure decisions were made by someone legally authorised. The manager acted promptly to request the document to ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interests.

Staff received training on the Mental Capacity Act (2005), but some needed further support to fully understand their responsibilities. While training had been provided, we found staff had limited understanding of how to apply the MCA in practice. This meant there was a risk people might not always be supported in line with legal requirements. The provider acknowledged this and planned additional training to strengthen staff knowledge.

People were supported with their consent and involvement in care decisions. Staff consistently sought permission before providing support, and care records reflected people’s ability to consent. One person told us, “They ask consent before providing any personal care,” and a relative said, “Staff ask permission before washing my relative and check how they’re feeling.” Staff confirmed they followed care plans but always asked people what they wanted help with, ensuring care remained person-centred.