Archived: Dale Care - South Tyneside (Homecare, Extra Care)

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.

Staff 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 plans detailed how that person wanted their care delivered and reflected their wishes. People told us that staff came to talk to them to see if they are still happy. One person said, “A lady from the office comes out and asked me all sorts of things.”

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

One staff member said, “Being aware of individual and diverse needs of service users and staff members. Being mindful of different cultures and beliefs and respecting this is paramount in my work ethic.” One external healthcare professional said, “Trusted Assessor assessments and care plans have evidenced that connecting people to voluntary sector agencies are considered at the point of assessment.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. One staff member said, “It is about providing clear information, I explain options and their potential outcomes. For example, if someone is choosing between two meal options, I can share nutritional benefits or any dietary restrictions to help them make an informed decision.” Staff could explain how they support people to communicate, such as facing the person, using hand gestures or writing things down.

The provider did not always make it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. However, staff did involve people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. People we spoke with said it was easier to raise concerns via a social worker rather than going to Dale Care, stating, “There is more chance of getting some response quickly this way.”

We discussed this with the operations manager, who was putting a plan of action in place to address this.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. We saw examples of people being supported and referred in a timely manner to support needs such as Speech and Language Therapists (SALT).

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. For example, staff completed training in equality and diversity to understand and reduce inequalities or prejudices that affected outcomes for people. One staff member said, “I promote safeguarding, equality, and diversity by providing inclusive, respectful, and unbiased responses, using accessible language, sharing best practices, encouraging safe environments, and respecting confidentiality.”

People were 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. Staff had received training on end of life care. One staff member said about their understanding, “By providing emotional support, respecting choices, maintaining dignity, and assisting families. The focus is on offering compassion, comfort, and respect while empowering individuals to make decisions and ensuring their needs are met.”