Integrity Care Agency 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.

This is the first assessment for this newly 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 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’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People’s care records showed assessments were undertaken prior to using the service and care plans, including risk assessments, were compiled and reviewed at regular intervals.

Care plans were detailed and referred to relevant areas dependent upon people’s current care and support needs. For example, care plans included keeping a check on skin integrity and using preventative measures to mitigate the risk (for those who may be at risk of pressure ulcers developing), medicines, assisting people in managing diabetes and mobility. Care records also included details of other health and care professionals involved with people’s continuing care.

The care plans were written in the first person, putting each person at the centre of the information about their care and support needs and from their perspective.

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.

Staff record notes promptly after each visit which was situated on a secure electronic shared drive. System access was protected and restricted to authorised staff to uphold confidentiality and data protection standards. Care workers document the support provided, record observations, note any concerns, and detail outcomes of each visit in accordance with organisational procedures.

The manager regularly reviews the completed notes to ensure accuracy, quality, and continuity of care. This is carried out to ensure that any concerns or changes in needs are promptly addressed and followed up as required.

If people required assistance to prepare and eat meals this was made available. No-one currently using the service required help to eat or drink. When anyone needed help to prepare meals this was included in their care plan. We viewed the care plans for two people who were living with diabetes and the care plans described what care staff should do to assist people to manage their diet.

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.

The provider had not, to date, needed to be involved in people transitioning to use other care services. A comprehensive assessment was in place for each person and could be shared, with people’s consent, should this need to occur.

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.

The provider showed us evidence of partnership working with other health and care agencies. We found that communication with these partner agencies took place. Recently the provider had written to healthcare professionals involved in people’s care to request, with people’s permission, reviews of healthcare needs. This demonstrated that the provider and care staff team took action to promote people’s physical and mental health care and support needs.

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.

Peoples care and support needs were regularly monitored which we saw evidence of in care plans, risk assessments and medication records. These all showed, along with other areas of day-to-day oversight, that people were not ignored or forgotten. Care staff were clear in their feedback that they would always raise any concerns about changes for people’s care and support needs.

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

We were told, and shown evidence, that no-one currently using the service was subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) or power of attorney. Everyone had capacity to make decisions for themselves and to consent to their care, or not, as they so choose. The provider’s policy and guidance for staff were detailed and in line with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005.

Everyone using the service were able to provide informed consent. The provider had policies and procedures in place to respond when people may need to have their capacity assessed.