Gravesend Care Services

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 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 did not always make sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they did not always work in partnership with people, to decide how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. Care plans did not include details of people's goals, aspirations, or outcomes they wished to achieve. As a result, opportunities to provide personalised support and promote people's independence and wellbeing could missed.

However, people were supported to take part in activities that they enjoyed, one person told us, ‘I went on holiday last week and had a great time, there was lots of activities.’

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’s care was delivered in a way that met their assessed needs from services that are co-ordinated and responsive. For example, one person had an exercise programme recommended by a physiotherapist. This was reflected in their daily records, allowing staff to document the support provided and demonstrating a coordinated approach to meeting the person's assessed needs.

People were provided with information that was in line with accessible information standards. This included information about events, activities and developments within the service through a communal notice board, helping to keep them informed about what was happening within their home.

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 were encouraged to share suggestions and were confident that these would be acted upon. For example, the provider used a ‘You Said, We Did’ approach to demonstrate how feedback had been used to improve the service. Following requests from people supported by the service to take part in more gardening activities, staff supported the development of a garden club, enabling people to pursue a shared interest and become more involved in activities that were meaningful to them.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The manager worked with external healthcare professionals to support people's wellbeing and independence. For example, people were referred to services such as occupational therapy when required. The manager also maintained links with specialist services, including mental health teams, helping to ensure people received appropriate support promptly and their changing needs were responded to effectively.

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. People experienced positive outcomes and were supported by staff to live as independently as possible. Staff encouraged people to make choices, develop their skills, and maintain their independence in areas of their daily lives. Relatives spoke positively about the support their loved ones received and told us people were happy with the service. They said staff actively encouraged people to do things for themselves where possible, helping to build confidence, promote independence, and improve their overall wellbeing.

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. Care plans contained information about people's preferences and decisions relating to end-of-life care.