Harrogate Home Support

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 the provider was in breach of breach of Regulation 9(3)(c) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations: Person centred care. At this assessment improvements have been made, and the provider is not in breach of this regulation. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has improved to good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 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. The service delivered person-centred care that respected the unique communication needs of non-verbal individuals. Staff used personalised approaches such as visual aids, gestures, and consistent routines to understand preferences and support decision-making. Care plans were co-produced with families and regularly reviewed to reflect changing needs. This responsive approach helped ensure individuals felt understood, valued, and supported, promoting autonomy, and wellbeing.

The service demonstrated a responsive and well-integrated approach to care, ensuring continuity through a stable and familiar staff team. People’s individual needs were recorded in care plans and coordinated effectively with families and external professionals. This promoted joined-up support across health and social care. Detailed hospital passports helped reduce anxiety, particularly for non-verbal individuals, and ensured that care remained tailored and person-centred. Staff responded to people’s changing needs and preferences. Regular reviews including the completion of a ‘Quality-of-life’ tool following proactive communication which contributed to improved outcomes and sustained wellbeing.

Support plans and records were adapted to meet individual communication needs, ensuring meaningful involvement in decision-making. Information was provided in accessible formats such as easy-read documents, pictorial guides, large print, and audio support, in line with the Accessible Information Standard. This enabled people with disabilities to understand their care and actively participate. One person said, “The staff do discuss and review my care plan with me, I can make any amendments I need to.”

Staff discussed how they made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. The registered manager had an open-door approach where they welcomed feedback at any time and accommodated requests to meet or discuss ideas. People told us they were involved in everyday decisions about their care and that staff told them about any resulting changes ensuring care and support remained relevant. This included ‘Autism reviews’, which provided a space for people toreflect on their support and make personalised recommendations, and larger annual reviews with social care assessors, where individuals, families, and professionals met to evaluate progress and plan future support.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Care records showed people had good access to a range of health and care services to support their needs, and that referrals were made for treatment or advice when needed. Based on people’s assessed need and level of risk, regular contact with a full range of health professionals which included speech and language therapists, dietician, occupational therapists, and podiatrists was supported.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The service promoted equitable experiences and outcomes by removing barriers and tailoring support to individual needs. Reasonable adjustments such as easy-read materials, visual aids, and flexible routines were identified through individual assessments and family input, then implemented across care delivery. People were supported to access a range of community facilities including day care, dancing, hydrotherapy, walking, and shopping. Staff also helped people understand their rights, including voting, using accessible formats and discussions suited to their communication needs. This inclusive approach enabled people to lead full, meaningful lives and achieve positive outcomes in wellbeing, independence, and social participation.

People were not always 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. Planning for the future, including end-of-life care, was acknowledged as an area requiring further development, particularly as the service supports mostly younger people. While person-centred planning was evident, formal end-of-life discussions and documentation were limited. The service recognised the importance of preparing for future needs and is exploring ways to sensitively introduce advance care planning, ensuring that preferences and values are respected as people age or their health needs change.