Hope Care Agency

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

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 worked in partnership with them to respond to changes in their needs.

Care plans reviewed were detailed and person-centred. Records reflected people's life histories, health conditions, cultural backgrounds, faith requirements, communication needs, interests, routines and desired outcomes. Care planning had improved significantly since the previous assessment and provided clearer guidance for staff about how people wished to be supported. People's preferences regarding personal care, nutrition, communication, medicines and support arrangements were reflected throughout the records reviewed.

People and relatives were involved in planning care and support. Managers described involving people in assessments, risk assessments and reviews, particularly when needs changed or additional support was required. Care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when people experienced changes to their health or wellbeing.

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 consistently described receiving support from familiar carers who knew them well. Continuity of care was a priority for the provider and managers worked to allocate regular carers wherever possible. The registered manager told us, “The same care workers support people. It is good for continuity as people need this and we work with people to manage this so that staff can have time off."

Care plans contained information regarding involvement from relatives, healthcare professionals and other agencies. Records demonstrated a joined-up approach to care and support, particularly for people with complex healthcare needs. The provider worked with district nurses, GPs, social workers, commissioners and specialist services to ensure support arrangements remained appropriate and responsive to changing needs.

Managers described adapting support arrangements when required and responding flexibly to requests from people using the service. The registered manager explained, “We adapt to requests and people may ask to change shopping days which we accommodate after speaking to staff." This helped ensure people could access support in ways that reflected their preferences and circumstances.

People consistently valued continuity of care. A relative told us, “Some have been coming for years.” Another relative said, “No issues about times. No different at weekends either. Same standard of care.” This helped people build trusting relationships with staff and supported continuity of care.

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

The provider had policies supporting the Accessible Information Standard and communication needs. Care records reviewed showed that communication preferences and support requirements were assessed and incorporated into care planning. Records reflected how people communicated their needs, the support required and any adjustments necessary to ensure information remained accessible

Managers demonstrated awareness of the Accessible Information Standard and described arrangements available should people require information in alternative formats. Although many of the people supported by the service were able to communicate independently, systems were in place to adapt information where needs changed.

People's records contained information regarding language needs, communication preferences and cultural considerations. Care planning reflected how staff should communicate effectively with individuals and support understanding where required. Documentation generally provided a clear and accessible overview of people's needs and support arrangements.

The service user guide contained information regarding people's rights, complaints procedures, safeguarding arrangements and support available from the provider. This helped ensure people and relatives had access to relevant information about the service.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas or raise complaints about their care and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The provider maintained a range of systems designed to gather feedback including welfare calls, care reviews, direct communication with people and relatives and discussions during support visits. People and relatives told us communication with the service was good and that concerns would be listened to and acted upon appropriately. A relative told us, “Sometimes the registered manager will come and ask about the service. They are approachable.”

The registered manager described a proactive approach to managing concerns and complaints. They told us, “I respond straight away and I go there personally and then investigate. If they are not happy, we ask them to escalate to the local authority and explain how they can escalate the complaint."

The provider sought feedback through welfare calls and other communication methods. Leaders used this information to monitor satisfaction, identify concerns and review support arrangements where required. The registered manager explained that welfare calls were used to understand whether people remained satisfied with the support they received and whether improvements were required.

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

The provider ensured people could access care and support based on their individual needs. Initial assessments were comprehensive and considered people’s health, cultural needs, communication, and risks, helping ensure the service could meet their needs before admission.
 

People were supported to access healthcare services, maintain community involvement and receive support tailored to their individual circumstances. Feedback from people and relatives did not identify concerns regarding access to support or reliability of care provision.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care and support in response to this.

The provider worked to ensure people had equitable experiences and outcomes. Staff promoted inclusion by recognising people’s individual differences, including communication needs and personal preferences.

Care plans reflected people’s diverse needs and aimed to ensure equitable outcomes, including support for those with complex health conditions such as dementia or communication needs. Staff supported people’s religious and cultural needs and provided support when required for people to practice their faith.

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 records contained personalised advanced care plans detailing people’s preferences, values, wishes regarding future care, hospital admission and involvement of family or representatives.

The provider had completed advance care planning documentation which demonstrated people had opportunities to discuss and record what was important to them and how they wished to be supported in the future. Staff involved people and, where appropriate, those important to them in these discussions, ensuring decisions were documented and accessible.

Advanced care plans reviewed contained information regarding future wishes, involvement of family members and important decisions relating to care provision. Documentation evidenced that people had opportunities to discuss what was important to them and how they wished support to be provided in the future.

The registered manager gave examples of supporting people to plan ahead, including where individuals had no family support. They told us, “We had to do this before through a friend since they didn't have any family and we were able to discuss how they would have needed in the future.”

Although some people had not established formal arrangements such as Lasting Powers of Attorney or Advance Decisions, records showed people were generally supported to discuss and document their future wishes and preferences where appropriate. This demonstrated the provider understood the importance of person-centred future care planning.