First Option Support Ltd

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 newly registered 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.

People's needs were assessed, and care plans contained detailed information about their physical health, mental wellbeing, communication needs, nutrition and personal preferences. People told us they discussed their needs and risks directly with the registered manager who planned and delivered their care according to their needs.

Records included information about people's, likes, dislikes, preferred routines and how they wished to be supported. Care plans detailed important aspects of people's lives, including their background, family involvement, social interests, and what mattered most to them. For example, care plans described people's how people wanted to be supported and the support they wanted to maintain their independence, and guidance on how staff should communicate and provide support in a way that respected their wishes.

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.

Relevant assessment tools were used to gather information about people's physical health, mental wellbeing, communication needs, risks, nutritional requirements and the reasons for referral to the service. Assessments also considered safeguarding concerns and potential risks to people’s well-being and independence to ensure appropriate support was in place.

People's nutritional and hydration needs were assessed and monitored. The registered manager encouraged people to maintain adequate fluid intake and remained alert to signs of dehydration, malnutrition or ill health. This helped ensure care and support remained responsive to people's changing needs and promoted their health, wellbeing and independence.

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.

Each person had an ‘Accident and Emergency Grab Sheet’ containing key information about their health needs, support requirements, communication needs, next of kin details and other important information. This helped ensure essential information could be shared promptly with healthcare professionals in the event of an emergency or when people moved between services.

Staff understood the importance of sharing information appropriately and told us they would provide relevant information to emergency services, healthcare professionals and others involved in a person's care when required.

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.

People told us they were able to arrange and attend their own medical appointments and access healthcare services when needed. Care plans reflected people's abilities and encouraged them to remain as independent as possible.

The provider told us they would support people to access healthcare services if required and worked with people to identify any changes in their health or wellbeing. Care plans included guidance for staff on monitoring people's health conditions and reporting concerns promptly. For example, staff were instructed to observe for signs of deterioration, changes in mobility, breathing difficulties, skin concerns or other health-related changes and escalate concerns when necessary.

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.

The registered manager told us they carried out regular reviews and maintained contact with people to check how their care was progressing. Staff monitored people's wellbeing through observations and conversations during visits. They told us they would identify and report any concerns about a person's health, wellbeing or changing needs. Where appropriate, people were encouraged and supported to seek advice from healthcare professionals or other services.

Care plans included the outcomes they wanted to achieve, and records demonstrated that changes in people's needs were monitored and reviewed.

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

Records showed the registered manager had completed MCA training and understood the importance of supporting people to make their own decisions wherever possible.

Care plans clearly recorded people's capacity to make day-to-day decisions about their care and support. Staff were provided with guidance to gain consent before delivering care. The registered manager told us consent was routinely sought, both verbally and through agreed care planning processes. They explained that when providing personal care, staff would ask people for permission before carrying out any task, using prompts such as, "Do you mind if I do this?" and "Do you consent to me supporting you with this?"

People's feedback reflected this approach. A person told us, "Staff listen to my instructions on how I want things done." Another person said, "Staff would explain things to me, ask my opinion and make suggestions."