Archived: Florence Care and Consultancy Service Ltd

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 service met people’s needs.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 68 (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 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.

Care records contained personalised information about the unique strengths, likes and dislikes, of People receiving at home care service, and how they preferred staff to meet their assessed care needs and wishes.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, and ensured care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

People using the service received continuity of care and support from staff who were familiar with their individual care needs, preferences and daily routines. The provider employed a small team of care workers which meant the people using the service was supported daily by staff who were familiar with the needs, preferences and daily routines.

The service did not always supply appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The registered manager acknowledged they had failed to supply people who received a home care service from this agency with information they might find useful in easy to access and understandable formats that were tailored to meet peoples preferred communication needs. This meant that people had not been given an easy to understand guide or information on how to raise a complaint or concern did not have the information on how the provider would manage any concerns and/or complaints they might receive.

At the time of this inspection, we discussed this issue with the registered manager. They committed to providing service users with all essential information regarding the home care agency's operations. This information would be presented in formats tailored to their specific communication needs

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support.

Staff involved people using the service in decisions about the care and support they received. A person told us, “I feel involved in my care and I feel I can discuss anything with my carer as they really listen to me. They understand my wishes and I am able to voice any concerns I may have with them.”

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People told us they could access the care and support they needed when they needed in accordance with their care plan.

People receiving a home care service from this agency told us they could access the care and support they needed when they needed it, in accordance with their care plan. They said, “I am able to access external support, recently I had new equipment installed to assist with my ongoing care.”

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. Staff understood the people they supported had a right to be treated equally and fairly, and to receive care and support that met their specific needs. For example, the registered manager confirmed they had the right to choose the gender of staff who provided their intimate personal care.

Staff were aware of service users diverse spiritual and cultural needs and wishes and knew how to protect them from discriminatory behaviours and practices.

People were not always 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.

People using the service did not require any support with end of life care.

However, they had not been actively encouraged or supported to make decisions about their end of life wishes. This was despite care plans having a section where individuals end of life care and support needs and wishes could be recorded.

We discussed this issue with the registered manager at time of this inspection. They agreed steps needed be taken to try and gather service users wishes regarding their end of life care. If they or their next of kin did not want to discuss this sensitive matter, it still needed to be recorded and how they planned to revisit the subject in the future.