The Kent Autistic Trust - 11a Curlew Crescent

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• 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 outstanding. 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’s care and support was person centred. People’s care plans provided information and guidance that reflected their physical, mental, emotional and social needs. For example, care plans included information about people’s life history, future goals and aspirations and their likes and dislikes.

We observed people’s rooms to be personalised with items that they chose. People told us they picked the colours on the wall in their bedroom.

People were supported to go out and take part in things they enjoyed, one person told us, ‘I like to go to [location] on the bus. I have a drink at the pub. I like a coke and burger and chips. When I go to McDonalds, I like a Big Mac and chips.

The provider had a good understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. The registered manager was proactive when supporting people to access certain healthcare services. For example, one person had a needle phobia which meant they were unable to have vaccinations or blood tests when required to support and monitor their health and wellbeing. The registered manager and staff supported the person to take part in a programme which involved visiting clinics, engaging with the learning disability nurse team and using social stories. The programme was successful and the person was able undertake a blood test without causing significant distress. The programme has meant the person has choice and access to vaccinations that can protect them from diseases and viruses. The staff and other professionals worked together and contributed to keeping the person safer and give them a chance to lead a heathier life.

People’s relatives fed back positively about their loved ones care provision, one relative told us, ‘I’m really happy with where [person] is for two reasons, its family and what [person] knows, staff know [person], that the place has the appropriate mix of the care and supervision and as much freedom as [person] can have without being at risk.’

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. The registered manager ensured people were able to access information in a way that they could understand, this included using social stories, easy read formats and picture cards. For example, the registered manager told us a person was involved in a significant decision about where they lived. Staff made sure the person understood what was being asked of them by using social stories and picture cards on multiple occasions. This helped ensure staff were able to fully understand the persons wishes and preferences. People’s relatives told us they were provided with information about their loved one, whether this was in relation to changes in their healthcare needs or updates on events that were taking place.

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. The registered manager had aa effective complaints process in place, this was followed to ensure complaints were dealt with appropriately and fairly.

People’s relatives told us they knew how to make a complaint, and that it would be dealt with appropriately and efficiently. One relative told us, ‘I believe that the [service] want to do whatever they can for the people they look after, they would take it seriously and go about it in the correct fashion, and conduct it properly.’

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The registered manager ensured people were able to access healthcare appointments when needed. The registered manager shared that it was sometimes difficult if people needed to attend services out of hours, such as accident and emergency, as they were not able to liaise with the learning disability teams at the hospital. When this happened, staff ensured they advocated for people to ensure they received the care and support they needed.

The environment of the home ensured people could have access to the equipment and facilities that they needed. One relative told us, ‘It’s a lovely place, there’s so much space.’

People had access to a minibus that staff were able to drive. Staff told us this was really valuable for getting people to and from appointments, it meant they didn’t have to rely on public transport and mitigated some of the risks of people becoming distressed.

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 supported people to access health care services and local activities to encourage and promote people’s health and wellbeing.

People’s relatives told us they felt people were treated equally and with kindness, one relative told us, ‘I feel they’re all treated equally, I know that I could go there anytime and know that there would be no issue with me turning up and the continuity of people there and all the guys are treated well, everyone has differing needs.’

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. People’s care plans detailed discussions that had taken place in relation to end of life wishes. People’s relatives were also involved in these discussions. There was no one at the service who was receiving end of life care and support.