AQS Hampshire East

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 71 (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. This included initial assessments of people’s needs prior to care packages commencing as well as reviews of people’s care at agreed intervals or when people’s needs changed. This helped to ensure care plans and assessments were kept current and reflective of people’s needs.

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. Senior staff conducted competency assessments to ensure staff were following best practice and the advice provided by relevant health professionals. The manager told us how they worked closely with health professionals and the local authority ensuring they took advice to keep people safe living at home.

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. Records showed the service worked closely with many health professionals, including social workers, occupational therapists, community nurses and doctors. A relative told us, “[Person’s name] been in hospital twice with breathing problems. Carers ring me and I go with (relative). The service provided the hospital with information about (relative’s) needs.”

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. Information about people's diagnosed health care needs were recorded in their care plans and included information about how this might impact on them. For example, for one person their health condition meant they were living with many health complications. Information provided staff with how to monitor their health and if they had any concerns what action to take. One person told us, “They (staff) make sure I’m woke up properly if I am not feeling well. They check my blood pressure and blood sugar.”

The provider told us they routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. Staff recorded details of the care and support provided during each care visit. Staff told us they recorded information about what people consumed, such as food and fluid intake, when requested by relevant health professionals. This helped support monitoring of nutritional needs and informed clinical decision-making. One relative told us, “Skin is fine. No bed sores. They (staff) check every time they change (relative’s) pad and change their position.” However, the lack of comprehensive risk management information made it difficult for the provider to always evaluate the care people received to determine if it was effective in reducing risk and meeting people’s needs The manager told us in detail how they carried out reviews with people annually, or sooner if people’s needs changed, or following a hospital discharge. However, we were not provided with records to evidence that these reviews had taken place to show care arrangements were consistently updated in response to people’s changing needs.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. People told us staff sought their consent before delivering care. Staff had a good knowledge around the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and knew how to practically apply this in their everyday roles. Daily notes showed consent was gained before providing care to people. One relative told us, “Staff inform (relative) of what they’re going to do. They talk it through and get consent.”