Royalcare- Thanet

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Staff understood what was important to people and how their views and preferences made them the person they were. Staff were encouraged to understand people’s changing mood and follow their preferences when providing their care and support from recognising how increased pain may impact on appetite, to recycling household waste. Staff told us, “Every client is different and we treat people the way they want to be treated” and “We take time to get to know them”.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Care delivery was closely monitored to make sure people always received their care at the time they wanted and all their care was provided. Analysis showed there had been no missed visits, staff were staying for the agreed length of time or longer and were arriving on time unless there had been an unforeseen issue, such as someone being unwell and needing extra support.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Information about the service and how to contact staff was available in people’s homes. ‘Critical’ information about people and their care was also available to staff. This was in a paper format so it was always accessible to people and staff, including if there were issues with internet accessibility or power.

At the time of our assessment no one required information in alternative formats, such as large print or a different language. However, the provider had systems in place to ensure information was always provided to people in ways that met their needs.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The provider had a complaints process in operation and viewed complaints as learning opportunities. Complaints had been investigated and a formal response had been made, along with an apology. Any lessons learnt were recorded and used to develop the service. People and relatives regularly contacted the registered manager to compliment staff. These were recorded and shared with staff so they understood the impact they had on people’s lives.

People and staff were asked for their feedback on the service regularly and their feedback was generally very positive. Feedback was analysed and used to improve the service. This included continued satisfaction monitoring and ensuring professional recommendations were clearly recorded in care notes.

Leaders made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. On occasions GPs would not issue repeat prescriptions in a timely way to ensure people always had their medication when they needed it. This included pain relief medicine for people who were at the end of their lives. The staff worked with surgery staff and pharmacists to make sure people had their medicines and were not in pain.

Care visits were planned and scheduled in line with people’s assessed needs, preferences and daily routines to help ensure support was provided at the right time. Changes to care arrangements had been made at people’s request when possible, such as a change to the time of the visit. Staff and leaders worked flexibly to respond to changing needs and adjust care schedules where appropriate.

All staff had completed first aid training and had used their skills whilst out and about to support their local community. For example, when a member of the public was taken ill in the street staff kept the person safe whilst they contacted and waited for the emergency ambulance to arrive.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

People were asked to share information about any protected characteristics at assessment and care plans included information about their health conditions, communication needs, cultural preferences and personal circumstances. Staff adapted their approach to meet individual needs, including providing support from consistent carers, matching staff based on gender preferences, and using personalised communication approaches. Relatives told us staff understood how to communicate with and motivate their family members.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. The service provided end of life care commissioned by the local health authority and worked with healthcare and hospice staff to support people to remain comfortable and pain free. They understood what was important to people, such as to be at home at the end of their life, and supported people to spend time with those who were important to them.

Some people had made decisions with relatives and healthcare professionals not to be resuscitated in specific circumstances. Staff knew where these decisions were kept in people’s homes and supported them to share them with healthcare workers such as ambulance staff.