St Anne's Community Services - York DCA

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 79 (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, their families, and professionals involved in their care.

Assessments of people’s needs were detailed, up to date, and kept under regular review. Staff who knew people well were encouraged to be involved in reviews and share any changes in people’s needs as they occurred. Communication channels were in place to facilitate this, such as handovers, huddles, communication books and regular meetings.

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.

Staff used recognised risk assessment tools and followed best practice guidance throughout the delivery of people’s care. The management team kept up to date with changes and updates to legislation, regulations, and developments in best practice methods. This information and learning was passed on to staff through leaflets, easily accessible guides and information sheets, and within staff meetings and supervisions. The management team tailored information sheets to the needs of the staff team and created quizzes and learning exercises to support learning and engagement.

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.

Staff consistently communicated well with other services and professionals told us, “Staff are always able to provide information in a timely manner”, “Staff and managers communicate openly”, and “Communication from both the managers and the staff has been open and consistent. They reach out proactively when needed and are always responsive to queries."

The provider always supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to fully maximise

their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and, where

possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Staff worked hard to identify goals and aims with people which they enjoyed and which supported them to live healthier lives. For example, people were encouraged to increase their fitness in ways which were enjoyable to them. Staff created targets together with people and their families and allowed people to work towards these targets at their own pace and in their own time. Staff made heathy living fun for people and kept people engaged. People were supported to go swimming, to the gym, and for regular walks. This had a positive impact on the quality of people’s lives, fitness, health and wellbeing.

The management team empowered staff to think about different activities people could try to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives and supported people to engage in these where they wanted to. Enjoyment of activities was then robustly monitored and analysed, so activities people enjoyed were built upon.

Staff worked to slowly increase people’s variety of food to include different items to promote a more varied diet. Staff involved people wherever possible which helped people to take responsibility themselves for improving their health and wellbeing. As a result, it was evident people had become more confident and active.

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 management team and staff actively reviewed people’s support plans and risk assessments and adapted and evolved with people’s changing needs. Staff monitored and documented outcomes for people, looking at where things had worked well, and where there was room for improvement. Observations were communicated throughout the service with plans changed and implemented as a result.

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

Staff sought consent from people wherever possible and respected people’s choices and decisions. Staff had clear guidance within communication support plans to help them understand people’s needs and wishes.

Where people were unable to consent to a particular decision, the provider complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, consulting other relevant parties and ensuring decisions were made in a person’s best interests.