Apex Prime Care - Hampden Park

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated 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.

People’s needs were assessed before they started to receive care visits. Care plans and risk assessments contained information to guide staff in supporting people. People’s care and support needs were continuously assessed and reviewed and people, and their relatives if appropriate, were involved in the assessment and review process. This enabled staff to identify any required changes and check whether people were satisfied with the care and support they were receiving.

People told us. “Apex care came to do an assessment. They asked me my needs. I was fully involved and I was very much listened to. They wrote it down. I have a care plan that I signed,” And “There is a folder here with a care plan in it. I was involved. Two staff came from Apex Care to do an assessment. They review it every now and then and if there is any change, say in medical needs, then the plan is updated.”

Care staff documented details of each visit via a digital platform, management and care coordinators were able to access this information remotely and track any changes in care delivered or 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.

The registered manager and care staff described how they worked closely with other healthcare professionals and the local authority to coordinate care and ensure people received safe and effective care. All information was used to help people remain safe and well while living independently in their own homes.

Care assessment and monitoring tools were used to help determine the level of care and support people required, for example, the Braden pressure ulcer risk assessment, used to assess a person's risk of developing pressure area damage.

People who required care staff to assist them with their meal preparation told us staff prepared meals and drinks in accordance with their needs and preferences, helping them to eat and drink well.People’s hydration and nutrition needs were assessed and documented, information was clearly recorded to inform staff when people had been assessed by SALT and any special dietary requirements were documented. This ensured staff were able to support people safely and effectively.

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.

The registered manager and care staff worked collaboratively with specialist health teams involved in people's care. This included Occupational Therapy (OT), District Nursing (DN) and Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) teams. Documentation also identified regular contact with people’s GPs.

Records showed that all relevant information was shared with staff and other agencies regarding any changes to people’s needs and wishes. In addition, we saw examples of when staff followed advice given by health care professionals. One health professional told us, “The carers seek and put into practice the guidance given to them. The senior staff in the office have access to current up to date information on the clients, and action changes to care calls when needed.”

Staff told us the registered manager was extremely supportive and was available at any time if they had any worries or concerns. Staff told us “[managers name] is lovely, you can go to her if you need anything. They are the perfect mix you can go to them with your problems, but they are also not afraid to tell people if they need to do something better, or if we need to improve something. She will speak to us and tell us, ‘you need to change something’, she will say, ‘let's try and do it like this instead’.” And, “We all feel really supported we are like a little family.”

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 service worked closely with people and their families to support their health and wellbeing. People were supported to be involved in choices and decisions throughout the process of assessment, care planning and care delivery. Where possible people received support from a consistent care team. Staff monitored people’s needs and were alert to any changes, they were knowledgeable about people’s health and care needs and able to anticipate people’s needs. Staff worked closely with a range of health specialists, sharing information about people’s needs to ensure care and support were well co-ordinated and tailored to them.

Staff liaised with people and relatives following healthcare appointments to ensure care packages remained appropriate and responsive to people’s needs. If care visit timings needed to be altered due to health appointments or following hospital visits staff worked hard to accommodate this.

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’s desired outcomes were discussed with people, and they were involved in care planning and reviews. For example, where a person wanted to maintain their independence with aspects of their personal care and daily routines, their care plan detailed what they could do for themselves and the level of support they required from staff. Care needs were regularly reviewed to ensure the support remained appropriate and continued to reflect the person’s choices, abilities and desired outcomes.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff worked in accordance with the MCA to ensure people’s rights around consent were met. People told us they were involved in decisions and felt their needs and wishes were listened to and considered. Relatives confirmed they had been involved in decision making for people that could not make decisions for themselves. Information was included in care plans to show when people had requested a loved one be involved to support them with decision making.

Staff told us of the importance of gaining consent before care was delivered and how they achieved and documented this. People and relatives confirmed staff were polite and respectful ensuring choice was offered and consent agreed before care was provided.

Comments included, “Staff are very professional at what they do and they always explain everything” and “They always ask me first before they do anything.”