Advantage Healthcare West Midlands

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 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.

Management and staff placed people at the centre of their care and support. Pre-assessments, care plans and risk assessments were tailored to individual needs, preferences and routines, helping staff understand what was important to the person and how they wished to be supported.

There was a strong focus on involving people in decisions about their care. Accessible information, translation services and personalised communication tools were used to support people to understand and contribute to care planning and reviews.

Feedback from relatives and examples reviewed demonstrated that staff often developed positive, trusting relationships with people and adapted their approach to meet individual needs. Families spoke positively about staff who knew people well, understood their preferences and provided consistent, compassionate support.

We saw evidence of the provider working closely with families and healthcare professionals to ensure care remained responsive to changing needs and personal circumstances. Positive outcomes included increased confidence in management and staff, improved engagement and strong relationships between people and their care teams

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.

The provider had systems in place to promote coordinated and continuous care. People were supported by multidisciplinary teams consisting of care professionals, nurses, case managers and office-based staff, helping to ensure care was planned and delivered in line with individual needs.

There was evidence of effective communication and partnership working with families and healthcare professionals. Assessments, reviews and ongoing discussions supported the coordination of care, particularly for people with complex health needs. The provider also had clear escalation pathways, on-call arrangements and access to a Rapid Response Team to help maintain continuity of support when needs changed.

Families spoke positively about care when delivered by consistent staff teams who knew people well and understood their preferences, routines and health needs. These arrangements helped build trust and contributed to positive outcomes for people receiving care.

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

The provider had systems in place to ensure people and their families received information in a way they could understand. Accessible information resources, translation services and personalised communication tools were available to support people with different communication, language and understanding needs.

People and relatives were provided with information about the service, including service user guides, contact details and information about local management arrangements. The provider also communicated regularly with families when new care packages were introduced and shared information to support continuity and understanding of care.

Feedback and records reviewed demonstrated that staff took time to explain care and involve people and their families in discussions about support. Families generally felt informed about care delivery and knew how to raise concerns when required.

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.

The provider promoted the involvement of people and their families in the planning, delivery and review of care. Assessments and care planning processes encouraged people, and those important to them, to share their views, preferences and goals to help shape the support provided.

Feedback from relatives we spoke with, demonstrated many felt listened to when concerns were raised and the provider took action to address issues and improve the quality of care. Complaint investigations we reviewed were detailed and evidenced that concerns were considered thoroughly, with lessons learnt used to inform improvements where appropriate.

The provider sought feedback through a range of systems and demonstrated a commitment to acting on what people and staff told them.

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

The provider evidenced a commitment to ensuring people could access care and information in a way which met their individual needs. Assessments considered communication, language and accessibility requirements, and systems were in place to provide information in alternative formats where required.

Translation resources and accessible information tools were available to support people whose first language was not English or who required additional communication support. Staff were encouraged to adapt their approach to meet individual needs and promote involvement in care planning and decision-making.

Feedback and records we reviewed showed care was tailored to people's circumstances and care needs, with the provider working to ensure individuals and families could understand information and participate in discussions about their 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.

The management team evidenced they listened to people and looked at ways they could tailor care to meet preferences and wishes.

Care plans, risk assessments and communication approaches were tailored to the person, helping to ensure support was delivered in a way which promoted positive outcomes.

There was evidence of people receiving personalised support which improved confidence, engagement and wellbeing. Families shared positive examples of staff developing strong, trusting relationships with people and adapting care to meet their individual needs. Accessible information and communication support further helped ensure people could participate in decisions about their care.

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.

We saw evidence of partnership working with families, nurses and other professionals to ensure future care needs were considered, particularly for people with complex health conditions. Escalation processes, clinical oversight and access to specialist support helped ensure care could adapt when people's needs changed.

The provider showed service improvement through organisational learning, improvement plans and quality assurance processes designed to support better outcomes for people over time.