Age UK Doncaster

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 good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 79 (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. Care plans were reflective of people's choices and personal preferences, and it was evident people were at the centre of their care and support. For example, 1 person needed staff to speak slowly and clearly. Gestures and pictures were used to explain what staff were doing, when they were supporting them. Staff knew this person required verbal prompts to initiateand sequence care tasks. One-page profiles were in place to identify hobbies and interests, work, jobs, skills and achievements, what made people happy and unhappy, what a good day looked like and what and who was important in their life. One professional said, “Care planning is robust with clear evidence of choice and control to the individuals they support, and they encourage and support people to be as independent as possible and work with individuals to set goals.”

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. The provider worked with other health care professionals to ensure continuity of care. For example, the service accepted fast track packages to ensure timely support could be offered when people were returning home from hospital. Individuals with a rapidly deteriorating condition which may be entering a terminal phase, may require ‘fast tracking’ for immediate provision of continuing healthcare. The intention of the fast-track pathway was to identify individuals who needed to access continuing healthcare quickly, with minimum delay.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats tailored to individual needs. Documents were provided in formats suitable for people’s communication needs and preferred language. Any barrier to people’s communication was overcome, whether this was by the use of aids, technology or using large print. When attending an assessment, staff and leaders always gave people the option of having a relative with them who could support with answering any questions if required. This also ensured staff gathered as much information as possible so effective support could be implemented. The provider was extremely passionate about ensuring people had access to their records and were able to understand their own records. Information could be provided on different coloured paper, in different font sizes or presented as an easy-to-read document. Staff and leaders also used other communication aids such as picture cards and notebooks when they supported people who were unable to verbally communicate. People were involved in decisions about their support and anything impacting on them. Recently people had been asked about care plans being presented electronically, however some people preferred paper-based care plans. This was acknowledged and the provider ensured care documentation was available in the format they could relate to.

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. Staff and leaders actively sought feedback to make continuous improvements, based on what was important to people. Feedback was acted on and embedded into daily practice. People had a positive experience when raising comments about the service and were involved in changing practice. The provider offered several opportunities for people and relatives to feedback about their experience of the service and the support they received. This included annual reviews, courtesy calls, visits to people and telephone monitoring. We also saw people were asked for feedback using questionnaires, which were evaluated and the outcome used to improve the service. The provider had a complaints procedure, but very rarely had any complaints raised. Leaders ensured they captured any concerns raised and showed action had been taken to address them and lessons learned to improve the service. One professional said, “My client speaks very highly of the staff that visit them regularly and if anything arises they are not happy with, [staff] listen to them and take appropriate action to put things right.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The registered manager told us they ensured equality in all care situations to reduce barriers to care, such as language, cultural needs and mobility. One staff member said, “We have a person whose first language is Polish and we use prompts and hand gestures. We also use Google translate to communicate, if needed. I have also noticed they are now understanding more simple English words.” All carers were provided with emergency contact numbers and clear guidance for out-of-hours situations. Policies and procedures for emergencies were accessible in the staff handbook and care plans. Staff were trained to respond promptly to people’s needs and escalate concerns according to protocol, and to always ensure people’s safety.

Staff and leaders were innovative in how they listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. Staff and leaders actively used this information to provide exceptionally tailored care, support and treatment in response to this. Staff interacted well with people and their relatives to ensure care was delivered in the most person-centred way. For example, 1 person was supported over night to help facilitate attendance at hospital for a routine medical procedure. As part of their recovery, they were expected to experience reduced mobility, dizziness and there was a temporary risk of falls overnight. Staff and leaders made a proportionate, risk-based decision to provide a night sit as an exception to support the person to overcome the medical procedure. This enabled the person to remain at home overnight while being safely supported by a member of staff they knew. Referrals were made when people required the support of other professionals and staff understood how to follow their advice and guidance. One professional said, “They provide excellent care for my client, often going above and beyond their role in what can sometimes be challenging circumstances. I have an excellent relationship with [management team] and any correspondence is quickly replied to. We work together to ensure the clients health and wellbeing is maximised.”

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 an end-of-life policy in place to ensure people were supported sensitively and in line with their choices. Where required, external professionals provided support alongside staff to ensure people received appropriate care and support.