Pentowan Home Care

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

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 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.

Assessment processes were comprehensive and included people’s physical, medical and emotional needs. The assessment identified what and who were important to a person and any communication needs. This helped staff understand people as individuals and deliver care in line with their wishes. Those staff that could access the provider’s electronic App were informed of any changes to people’s care needs; other staff were told over the phone. All staff received updates with their time sheets which they collected from the office each week.

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.

Care staff were skilled and understood how to meet people’s individual needs and had a working knowledge of current best practice. Care staff told us, “Dietary sheets are in the care plan and, if needed, bowel and urine inputs and outputs.” Health care professionals told us, “There is a very clear structure of hierarchy, and they know what to do and contact the managers.” Staff had information about the support people needed to eat and drink. Relatives told us, “Food and drinks are presented well and they provide [my relative] with the things they like.” another said, “A Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) test was organised as [my relative] has difficulty with swallowing so the carers provide a soft diet for them and are very aware of techniques to use as they feed [my relative] and give them drinks to make sure they don’t choke.”

People’s care plans were updated regularly and directed staff on how to meet people’s needs.

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 service engaged positively with people’s relatives and involved health care staff to ensure people’s care needs were met. Care staff were consistently complimentary stating, “Team work ethic is good, we have the same high standards.” Professionals were highly complimentary of the service’s collaborative approach and told us, “We have a good working relationship, coordinator and manager are really helpful offering and accepting any help or advice” and “They are the ones to ring in a crisis.”

Staff felt supported by colleagues and managers and described a culture where teamwork was encouraged.

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 always supported people to access health services when needed. Care staff were trained to report any changes in people’s needs, allowing the provider to respond appropriately to identified risks.

Staff made appropriate and timely referrals to support people to stay healthy. Staff followed the recommendations from professionals, who confirmed staff worked closely with them to ensure people’s health and medical needs were met. Care staff told us, “Be aware of what you are preparing, try to make the meal a bit healthier and plenty of fluids.” Relatives told us, “There have been 2 occasions when the carers have had to call for a doctor and a paramedic and, on both occasions, they have stayed with [my relative] until the clinician did an assessment.” Another said, “The company are very good and when [my relative] was unwell, they called in a second carer to assist.”

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.

Incidents had been effectively reviewed to check outcomes were appropriate and if actions were needed to improve the care individuals received. People’s health was monitored. Staff understood the importance of reporting changes in people’s needs and escalating concerns to relevant healthcare professionals.

People and their relatives were consistently complimentary of the service provided. They told us, they were confident any concerns reported would be addressed. One person said, “Care plans are reviewed and discussed.”

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

Staff understood the need for consent before providing care. We observed staff asking people how they wanted to be supported and checking with them before providing care. Our observations confirmed staff respected people’s choices and decisions. All care was provided in the least restrictive way. One person told us, “The carers will always ask me if it’s ok to start the transfer from bed to shower chair and if I feel ok.”