Optimum Care 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.

A relative confirmed that there was a full review and consultation of their family members care and support needs prior to staff at the service delivering care. Another relative told us, “Yes, they came out in the beginning and took details of [family members] needs and assessed them. They have come out since as [family members] needs have changed and (staff) will need to come out again.”

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. For example, people who were assessed as being at risk of poor swallowing and or choking, SALT guidance informed the persons dietary requirements. This information was included in people’s care plans and risk assessment to guide staff.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. The manager made referrals to, and worked with, other external health and social care teams such as the persons social worker, GP, SALT and district nurses. This helped monitor people's well-being and helped to ensure a continuity of care.

Staff supported people to manage their health and wellbeing. They also encouraged people to maintain their life skills as much as possible. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for increased care and support. Most people and their relatives were positive about staff support. A relative told us that staff notified them if they had any concerns about their family member. Another relative said, “They let [family member] wash bits he can reach, and they let him clean his teeth and do what he can do.”

We talked with the provider about some of the mixed feedback received and they were open to our feedback and were able to give explanations.

Staff routinely monitored people’s care and support in order to help maintain people’s well-being. People’s care records were reviewed and updated to reflect their current needs. A relative told us that staff had recently reviewed and updated their family member’s care plan and, “When it is updated, they will send me a copy for (us) to keep.”

However, there were some mixed opinions from people about their care record and whether it reflected their current needs. We talked through with the provider some of the mixed feedback received and they were open to our feedback and were able to give explanations.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and support. Improvements had been made since the last inspection. Effective systems and processes were now in place. People were encouraged to make daily choices and told us staff listened to and respected their wishes. A staff member confirmed, “My person (with dementia) can make choices on food and dressing. I ask them, what would you like, and give choices for them to choose from.”

Staff had training and could evidence to us their understanding of the mental capacity act 2005 (MCA) and how they supported people's right to make choices. However, there were still some improvements to be made. For example, there was some work around staffs understanding of people’s personal wishes for a named person to make decisions on their behalf or lasting power of attorney (LPOA) being in place. Records needed to be clearer that evidence was sought when a person had capacity but also had a LPOA in place to future proof their wishes. Records needed to be clearer around the legal stance and be more personalised and decision and time specific to ensure they were in line with the principles of the MCA.