Link House

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

People received care and support focussed on their individual needs. People’s records reflected their choices and preferences for how their care and support should be provided. This helped staff deliver the care and support people wanted. Managers undertook regular checks with people, and others involved in their care, to ask for their feedback about their care and support and whether this was continuing to meet their needs and made changes when this was required.

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.

People’s care and support was planned and delivered in line with their individual needs and preferences for how and when this should be provided. Staff understood the diverse needs of people using the service and made sure the care and support they provided was in line with people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff worked well with others to ensure people received appropriate care and support from everyone involved in their care.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People’s communication needs were assessed and recorded in their care plans and shared with staff to ensure these needs would be met. Staff understood people’s communication needs and provided information in a way people could understand. People were provided with information that met their communication needs, for example, easy to read versions of documents related to their care and support.

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.

People and relatives knew how to give feedback, raise concerns or make a complaint. Staff listened to them and took action in response to make changes when these were needed. A relative said, “We had a staff member that [family member] didn’t get on with and the manager got that all changed.”

There were formal arrangements in place to support people to raise concerns and complaints if they needed to. The service’s complaints policy set out how any complaints would be dealt with and what people could do if they remain dissatisfied with the service’s response.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People received their care and support at the times of their choosing. Staff were flexible and accommodated changes when people wanted this. Managers undertook regular assessments, monitoring and reviews of people’s care needs and used information about people’s choices and preferences to make sure care and support was provided to people at the times they wanted, in line with their choices and preferences.

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.

Staff understood people’s right to receive care and support that met their individual needs. A staff member told us, “I treat everyone with the same respect and care, regardless of their background, beliefs, or needs. Equality and diversity training also helps keep this front of mind.” Another staff member said, “Equality and fairness are embedded through our diversity training and by respecting cultural or religious requirements, whether that’s meal preparation or prayer times.”

Managers undertook regular assessments, monitoring and reviews to make sure information about people’s individual needs and wishes in relation to their protected characteristics, was used to plan people’s care and support. Staff had access to this information through people’s care records. Staff received equality and diversity training as part of their role to help them make sure people were not subjected to discriminatory behaviours and practices.

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 provider had arrangements in place to obtain information about people’s individual needs and their wishes for the support they wanted to receive at the end of their life. This helped to make sure staff would know what to do to make sure people’s wishes and choices were respected at the appropriate time.