7 Valleys Healthcare

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 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. The registered manager undertook a comprehensive assessment of people’s needs prior to care commencing. This included meeting the person, their relatives and assessing the care environment. People’s care plans were detailed and person centred. A relative told us, “There was a thorough questionnaire at the initial assessment, it was a positive experience.” Records showed that plans were kept under continuous review, with an initial review at 6 weeks and regular updates as people’s needs changed.

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. Records showed that changes in people’s needs were addressed promptly, people were supported by staff who knew them well and could escalate concerns if required. Processes were in place to monitor people’s health should this be an identified need.

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. Records were accurate and up to date. A communications book was available in people’s homes so that people, their relatives, staff and visiting professionals could record information and requests. For urgent enquiries, the registered manager was available to coordinate care and was in regular contact with people and their relative. Staff told us they worked well together, and they felt supported in their roles over a 24-hour period. A staff member told us, “There is always someone on call and we know who this is.”

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. Records showed that when needed, staff at the service supported people to access health services such as the GP or pharmacist. Where health advice was given by professionals, this was incorporated into people’s plans of care and followed by staff.

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. Regular reviews of people’s care plans took place and these included the person and their family members. Where people’s needs had changed this information was stared with staff to ensure the care delivered was always relevant to the persons current needs.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Records showed the provider understood people’s needs in relation to decision making. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The MCA requires that, as far as possible, people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible. Records showed that the service was working within the principles of the MCA.