Able Hands Healthcare 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 provider 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 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 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. One person told us, “They come 4 times a day to help me with my personal care, medication and meals. They are good. They make sure I have all I need for the day as I don’t get around much.”

Care plans were in place and provided staff with guidance on how to meet people's personal care, hydration and nutritional needs in line with their preferences. Records included personalised information about people's family relationships, cultural backgrounds, important life events, hobbies, interests, favourite foods and drinks, and daily routines. This helped staff understand what was important to people and how they wished to be supported.

Daily care records demonstrated people were supported with a range of needs, including personal care, nutrition, hydration, mobility and medicines support. People told us staff provided care in a way that met their needs and preferences and involved them in decisions about their support.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's individual needs and were able to describe how they tailored their approach to each person. They told us they shared information through handovers and ongoing communication to ensure staff had up-to-date information about people's current needs, any changes in their wellbeing and the support required. This helped promote continuity of care and ensured people received consistent support from the staff team.

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

People and relatives described a coordinated approach to care. One person told us, “They send the same carers, and we have never had issues.” This consistency helped people build positive relationships with staff and ensured care was delivered by workers who knew them well. A relative told us, “They work together. Staff give updates and contact us if there were any issues.”

The provider also worked closely with healthcare professionals to support positive outcomes. Relatives described how the registered manager liaised with other services, obtained handover information and ensured the necessary equipment and support were in place when people returned home from hospital or rehabilitation services. The provider recognised the importance of maintaining independence and supporting people to access opportunities within their local community. Care plans reflected individual goals and interests, including attendance at community groups and activities that were important to people.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People’s communication needs were documented within care plans and included guidance on any support people required to understand information and express their views and wishes.

For example, one person's care plan stated they communicated verbally and were able to make decisions about their care. It also identified that they were hard of hearing and used hearing aids. Staff were instructed to face the person when speaking, use clear and calm communication, minimise background noise, allow sufficient time for responses and check understanding. Staff provided reassurance and adapted their communication approach to meet the person's needs.

The provider told us they would make information available in alternative formats where required to support people's understanding and involvement in their care. These arrangements helped ensure people received information in a way they could access and understand, enabling them to make informed choices about their care and support.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People knew how to raise concerns, share feedback and make complaints about the service. They told us they felt comfortable speaking with the registered manager and were confident any concerns would be listened to and addressed. One person said, “I have never had any issues, but I will speak to the registered manager if I was unhappy about anything.” A relative told us, “I will speak to the registered manager if I have concerns. He has called to check how things are. He has met with me for review.”

The provider actively sought feedback from people and their relatives through regular contact and reviews. People told us they felt involved in discussions about their care and were able to express their views and preferences. The registered manager maintained regular communication with people and those important to them, helping to identify and address any issues promptly.

A complaints policy was in place which clearly explained how concerns would be investigated and escalated if people remained dissatisfied.

We reviewed complaints records and found concerns had been investigated appropriately, actions had been taken and learning had been identified to improve the quality of care provided.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People were able to access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The provider worked proactively with people, relatives and healthcare professionals to ensure care was responsive to changing needs and promoted continuity of support. People and relatives told us staff were reliable and usually arrived as planned.

The provider ensured people could access healthcare services when required. Records showed staff contacted healthcare professionals promptly when concerns were identified and worked alongside district nurses, physiotherapists and GPs to support people's health and wellbeing.

The service demonstrated flexibility in responding to people's changing needs. For example, following a hospital stay and period of rehabilitation, the provider ensured appropriate equipment was in place.

People and relatives spoke positively about communication and the provider's responsiveness. Relatives told us staff kept them informed of any concerns and worked together to ensure people received the support they needed.

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.

Assessments and care plans included information about people's cultural backgrounds, social circumstances, disabilities, religion and other protected characteristics, enabling staff to provide personalised care that reflected each person's unique needs, preferences and identity. Staff understood the importance of respecting and supporting people in these areas.

Where people experienced sensory impairments or other communication barriers, care plans provided clear guidance to help staff adapt their approach.

People were not always supported to plan for significant life events, including future care and end of life wishes. While care records contained information about people's current health needs, DNAR decisions, and the relatives involved in their care, there was limited evidence of proactive advance care planning for people living with complex health conditions.

Care plans included details of people's medical conditions, key decision-makers, and those important to them. However, there was little information about individuals' preferences for future care, end of life wishes, preferred place of care, cultural or spiritual needs, or how they wished to be supported should their health deteriorate.

We discussed this with the provider, who told us that conversations about future care preferences had taken place with people and their relatives; however, they had not yet received or gathered sufficient detail to fully document these discussions within care records. They explained that, as further information becomes available through ongoing conversations with people and those important to them, this would be recorded in care plans and reviewed at the next planned care review.

The registered manager demonstrated an understanding of the importance of advance care planning and told us they would work with people, relatives, and relevant healthcare professionals to ensure people's wishes were understood and respected should these discussions become relevant. They also explained they would provide staff with appropriate guidance and support to help ensure people received compassionate, person-centred care that reflected their preferences and values.