Q Leaf Care Limited

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. People’s needs were assessed prior to their package of care starting to ensure staff could meet their needs safely. People’s needs were reviewed regularly as routine or as and when people’s needs had changed. People’s health conditions were detailed in their care plans including how they affect people on a day to day basis and how staff can support them. For example, one person had a respiratory condition, and the care plan detailed how this affects the person such as breathing difficulties.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care 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. The provider used assessment tools to understand people’s health needs. For example, a Waterlow assessment had been completed for one person due to them being at high risk of their skin breaking down. The Waterlow score is a tool used in healthcare, particularly in nursing, to assess a patient's risk of developing pressure ulcers or bedsores, which incorporates a person’s weight to evaluate the risk. The provider also used other tools to assess people’s health such as MUST tool. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is a five-step screening tool used by healthcare professionals to assess the nutritional risk of adults. This helps the provider understand the risk of people becoming underweight and malnourished.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. When people’s needs changed or support was needed from other health professionals, referrals were made to other teams such as occupational therapists. People received joined up care from different services, for example, people received support from district nurses and other health professionals. This was documented in people’s care notes.

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. The registered manager told us that during the warmer weather a message was communicated with all staff to ensure people had access to increased fluids to help prevent dehydration. Everyone was placed on a fluid chart for a short period of time during the extreme heat to help monitor fluid intake and intervene if necessary.

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. People told us they were happy with the care provided. One person told us, ‘They [staff] are doing a fantastic job, I would say if they wasn’t.’ Another person told us they were visited by the registered manager to ensure they were happy with their care.

The provider ensured people understood their rights around consent to the care they were offered. People’s views and wishes were taken into account when their care was planned. Where it was appropriate, it was recorded if someone had an LAP (lasting power of attorney). A lasting power of attorney isa legal document that allows you to appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf if you lose the capacity to do so yourself. People’s capacity was assessed and if they were deemed to lack capacity, mitigation was put in place to ensure decisions could be made on their behalf and in their best interests.