Quality Care

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 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. Assessments of people’s needs were carried out to ensure their care needs could be met. Expected outcomes for people’s care were identified and used to develop people’s care plans and ensure care and support was planned and continually provided in accordance with people’s needs. A relative told us, “[Registered manager] did a thorough assessment of [person’s] needs, she followed this up by letter to me and discussed a care plan.”

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment. People were supported to eat, and drink based on their individual preferences and needs. Where people required support with eating and drinking, this was recorded in their care records. A relative told us, “They always leave [person] with a drink and water before they leave and it’s always accessible for them.”

People's care plans also contained guidance on how to manage identified areas where they were at any potential risk and if they had any specific dietary requirements. A relative told us, “[Person] is unable to feed themselves or take drinks, but the carer does this well. The carer makes sure [person] is propped up in bed so they cannot choke.”

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. A relative told us, “[Staff] will call 111 if [person] is unwell. They have contacted the doctor when they felt [person] had [condition]. I really trust them, they are wonderful. The manager will call in to check on [person].”

Systems were in place to help ensure information was shared effectively among team members to enable them to consistently meet people’s needs. Staff were kept updated on changes in people via daily notes and care records were updated following any reviews of care to inform staff of any changes to people’s care and treatment.

Staff told us communication within the service was effective and various systems were in place for the staff team to share information appropriately. Staff had access to the information they needed to appropriately assess, plan and deliver people’s care and support. A staff member told us, “We can check the care plan for updates and updates are also shared through management and team chats.”

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. People were supported to access healthcare services when required.

A relative told us, “There was a small mark on [person’s body] and they alerted the district nurses to visit and review, they also informed me.” The provider worked in partnership with other healthcare professionals and services such as GPs and district nurses to deliver effective and timely care. A healthcare professional told us, “The agency fed back issues with a person refusing medication administration so that we could address this. We have had no complaints about the service from the person or family members.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment. Care records detailed people’s goals and outcomes they wished to achieve.Daily notes were completed by staff. These enabled staff to monitor people and help staff respond to people’s changing needs promptly to help promote positive outcomes. A relative told us, “There is no problem with assessing [person] and their needs regularly as the manager keeps in touch with me as well as visits [person]. It’s as though their care needs are reviewed on a daily basis.”

Systems were in place to review and monitor staffing levels and timekeeping to ensure people’s needs were met. A relative told us, “[Person] has 2 carers at each call. They arrive together. [Person] is never rushed. They arrive on time at the agreed time of the call.” Another relative told us, “They [staff] arrive pretty much on time and the 2 carers arrive together. They never cut corners; they always stay for the full length of the visit.”

Relatives told us they had regular staff and people experienced consistency with their care. A relative told us, “There is good continuity of carers, so the care is consistent.” Another relative told us, “[Person] has the same carers that they know and feel comfortable with.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering care. Processes were in place to ensure the service acted in accordance with the provisions of Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and peoples’ best interests were protected. Where people had capacity, records showed the service obtained their consent about their care and support.

Where people lacked capacity, their mental capacity had been assessed and the best interest’s decision making process has been followed which included involving relatives and healthcare professionals.

Care records had been signed by people or where appropriate, their family representatives to indicate that they had consented to their care. A relative told us, “The carers are friendly and will chat to [person] informing them of what they are going to do so [person] can consent.”