Lovehands Care Services Ltd

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 71 (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’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. However, not all care plans and risk assessments had been updated when changes occurred or reflected information that was kept in people’s homes. For example, information on which sling loops should be used when a person was transferred with a hoist were kept in their home but not reflected in their care plan. Another person no longer required an easy chew diet however, their care plan had not been updated with this improvement. Leaders took immediate action to update these areas and changed some systems to ensure care plans and risk assessments were the primary documents for any updates and changes.

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 were involved in developing their care plans. One relative told us, “I have been involved right from the start with my [family member’s] care planning and I am regularly involved.” Care plans were personalised to people’s individual needs and provided guidance to ensure their care was effective. Leaders told us they were part of professional networks, and this helped to ensure they kept up to date with good practice. Staff supported people with their nutrition and hydration and helped ensure people’s preferences were met. For example, one staff member told us, “People usually have ready meals, and we have a chat to them about their day and show them 2 or 3 choices and they choose what they would like. We leave a snack and a drink out too.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Systems were used to ensure other emergency healthcare services could access people’s care plans and notes in their home if needed. Other records showed relevant information was shared between other health and social care professionals who were involved in providing people’s care. For example, the occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. This helped to ensure people received effective care.

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. Staff told us of how people they cared for had seen improvements in their health. For example, staff described how one person was now more independent with their eating and drinking. A relative said, “The carers are polite, willing and friendly, they have suggested items and bits of equipment that may make our lives easier, things I didn’t even know were in existence.” This approach helped to promote people’s independence.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. Leaders described when care had improved outcomes for people. These included improvements in health as well as improvements in involvement in local religious communities and social interactions. Audits were in place to ensure monitoring of health conditions where needed. For example, an audit was regularly completed to ensure a person’s catheter was changed as scheduled and there were no infections reported.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff described how they would ask for people’s consent before providing any care. One staff member told us, “I always ask people whether they want me to assist them, whether I’m ok to go ahead with their personal care.” Staff recorded they had obtained people’s consent for their care. Where people declined care, this was recorded and respected.