We carried out a review of the data available to us about Luton Borough Council Reablement Service on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Luton Borough Council Reablement Service, you can give feedback on this service.
People’s experience of using this service:
The service ensured each person was treated as an individual with personal preferences being at the forefront of the care they received. Staff treated people kindly and communicated effectively. During our home visits staff were observed to be respectful, kind and caring. Staff promoted people’s dignity and privacy.
There were robust recruitment checks in place which included DBS (disclosure and barring checks) and past employment history to ensure the staff were safe and suitable to work in this type of service. Staffing levels were appropriate to meet people`s needs in a timely way.
Care plans were in place when people started using the service. The support plans were reviewed weekly and risk assessments were developed for each identified risk to people`s health and wellbeing. Staff understood people`s care needs and encouraged people’s independence.
There were effective systems in place for managing medicines. Medicines audits and medicine administration records were correctly completed. Competency assessments were in place to promote best practice.
Staff were supported with regular training and supervision to enable them to support people effectively. People told us they felt the care and support they received was safe. Staff received training in safeguarding and they knew how to report their concerns internally and externally to safeguarding authorities.
People were supported with their food and drinks where required.
People had good access to healthcare as needed and staff had a good understanding of people’s health needs. People and relatives told us they were happy with the care provided by Luton Borough Council Reablement Service.
Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 27 April 2016).
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection to check that the service remained Good.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
We carried out an announced inspection on 3 December 2015. Between this date and 18 December 2015, the inspector spoke with staff and the expert by experience spoke with people who used the service and their relatives by telephone. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, we completed this inspection on 25 January 2016 when we had received the report from the expert by experience.
The service provides short-term care and support of up to six weeks to adults living in their own homes following discharge from hospital. The service also have ‘step-down’ flats where people could live until they were able to safely return to their homes or had been found a suitable care home. People supported by the service had a variety of needs including short term conditions following being treated in hospital or after surgery, were living with chronic health conditions, physical disabilities and dementia. At the time of the inspection, there were 55 people being supported by the service.
The service has a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
There were risk assessments in place that gave guidance to staff on how risks to people could be minimised. There were systems in place to safeguard people from a risk of possible harm and suitable equipment was in place so that people were supported safely.
The provider had effective recruitment processes in place and there were sufficient numbers of staff to support people safely. Staff received supervision and support, and had been trained to meet people’s individual needs.
Staff understood their roles and responsibilities to seek people’s consent prior to care being provided. Where people did not have capacity to makes decisions or consent to their care, this had been provided in line with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
People were supported by caring and respectful staff. They were supported to access other health and social care services when required to maintain their health and wellbeing.
People’s needs had been assessed and they had care plans that took account of their individual needs, preferences, and choices.
The provider had a formal process for handling complaints and concerns. They encouraged feedback from people so that they could use their comments to improve the quality of the service. People’s comments suggested that they were happy with the service they received and the majority of them described the service as ‘excellent’.
The provider had effective quality monitoring processes in place and these had been used effectively to drive continuous improvements.
We saw that each person received an assessment of their care needs, including any risks associated with their care provision. In all the cases we looked at, we found that the care provided matched with the care required and was what people had agreed to. We saw that people's care was provided by a sufficient number of suitably qualified staff.
We saw the service had effective systems in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who use the service. These included reviews on the completion and accuracy of care documentation. There was an effective complaints system available and comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.
During our visit we found people's contribution to discussions and decision making about their care to be documented. We saw that people received an assessment of their needs and support plans were in place to meet those needs. In general, staff were completing a program of mandatory training and were knowledgeable in such things as protecting people from the risk of abuse.
We found the service had quality monitoring systems in place and people had a variety of methods available for them to share their views and opinions about the service. We noted that where actions to prevent the recurrence of incidents or changes to improve the service were required these were completed.
One person said of her experience with Luton Borough Council Reablement Service: 'It's a very good service. They've got me through the time I've needed them.' Another person said: 'They always ask me about everything. They're very good like that.'