North Kirklees Domiciliary Care Service

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 the last inspection this key question was rated good. At this assessment the key question 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 completely 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.

Without exception, people were at the centre of their own care, support and decision making. Staff developed an excellent rapport with each person and invested their time to understand their individual preferences and requirements. Care plans contained highly detailed person-centred task instructions and staff used this in conjunction with their communications with each person. Staff fully recognised that communication was fundamental to people’s choice, wellbeing and autonomy. Every person was supported through their individual communication styles, including speech, Makaton, objects of reference, visual support, body language and behavioural cues. This meant people experienced greater confidence, choice, dignity and inclusion, empowering them to lead fulfilling lives.

People and their relatives felt the standard of care was extremely person-centred and took into consideration their individual wishes. One family member told us their relative’s confidence and skills had enormously increased since coming into the service and said, “They live so much more independently than I ever imagined.”

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.

Staff developed good working relationships with each person, so their needs were met in line with their wishes. Health professionals told us staff worked closely with them, so care was joined up for people. One professional told us, “I have had nothing but great experiences with the [service] and all the individuals who are living there.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The provider understood the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). People’s communication needs were identified during the initial assessment and care planning process, and documented in the care plan and risk assessments, which were accessible to all staff. People’s daily planners had supportive pictorial information where needed so people were fully informed.
 

Staff understood how to respect each person’s communication style and adapted their approaches as needed to support their understanding. People told us they felt listened to and understood by staff. The registered manager told us some staff had a basic knowledge of Makaton, but they had identified the need for further training to ensure all skills were updated.

The provider told us all documentation, schedules, and updates were communicated in a way that each person could access. Staff checked understanding and adapted their approach during each interaction.

The provider had systems and processes 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 an open-door policy and told us there were opportunities within daily interactions for people to share any feedback, ideas, suggestions or complaints. They told us they were considering ways in which they could demonstrate how they more effectively captured complaints and compliments, to highlight how people’s voice was an integral part of their work.

People and relatives told us they were fully involved and informed about any matters around their care and support, and they felt listened to and valued for their views. One professional told us, “They are receptive to feedback, open to new suggestions and have a great working relationships with their clients and other services.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People and relatives told us the service was reliable and sufficient staff were available at all times.

The provider understood where there may be potential barriers in access to care and put support measures in place to ensure people’s rights were protected. Staff adapted their ways of working to mitigate any barriers to communication. There were on-call arrangements which staff said were reliable should an emergency arise.

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.

The provider was alert to potential discrimination and inequality that could disadvantage people using their service. They understood how to identify and remove barriers to improve people’s experience, and allocated resources and opportunities to ensure equity. A professional told us, “One [person] in particular was reluctant to engage in support, and the support plan decreased due to this. Since working with the [service] and finding new ways to engage with this [person] they are now accepting most of their support and are happy to do so."

Staff ensured each person’s care routines accommodated their physical and sensory needs while respecting their beliefs and cultural background. There was a clear focus on providing personalised care that respected each person’s protected equality characteristics.

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.

Care plans were regularly updated to reflect a holistic, person-centred approach, and important life changes were discussed when required. Decisions affecting people’s future outcomes, including future care planning, were discussed with people in ways they could understand so they could make better informed decisions for themselves.