Dame Alice Court

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 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. Care records we reviewed evidenced people’s needs had been assessed and care was delivered in line with people’s preferences. A person told us, “Staff sat and went through the care plan with me.”

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, the provider had systems in place to document that all aspects of care they were being commissioned to provide were being delivered correctly. Within this system staff confirmed they delivered care and support such as those relating to hygiene, supporting people with their medicines and domestic tasks such as laundry and cleaning.

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. People received support from, and the provider worked alongside external health professionals such as district nurses where they required a catheter or needed medicines to be administered by a nurse due to living with diabetes.

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. For example, 1 person’s care plan reflected that due to the health condition they were living with, their mobility needs could vary on the day. The care plan promoted them mobilising as independently as possible when they were able to. A person told us, “I go to my physio appointments and the staff liaise with the family.”

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. For example, there were systems in place for the service to hold and document morning staff briefings where any emerging concerns could be discussed, communicated and action was taken to promote positive outcomes from this. A person said, “They help me get on with my life and they give me lots of encouragement.”

The provider promoted people’s rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. At the time of our assessment, all people receiving care CQC regulate had the capacity to make their own decisions and this had been documented appropriately in people’s care plans. Staff had received training on the Mental Capacity Act and understood the importance of consent. A staff member told us, “Consent is gained by asking people what they want, (for example) checking they are happy to take medication, and that they know what it is, offering choice for food and drink. Making sure they understand what we are asking and that they are okay with it.”