ICare (GB) Limited - Runcorn

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 the provider met people’s needs.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant people’s needs were not always met.

This service scored 61 (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. The provider could not be assured people always received support based on their preferences or in line with their needs. Information about people’s likes and backgrounds had been not always been kept up to date and it was unclear how the provider expected staff to have this information to support people in a personalised way.

There were some shortfalls in how the provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was not always joined-up, flexible or supportive of choice and continuity. The provider employed a diverse staff team but could not be assured people received support from regular staff to support their continuity of care. We saw continued efforts had been made to ensure they worked collaboratively with key professionals and services when people moved into the service to ensure continuity of care.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. The provider’s service user guide provided information for people about what they could expect from the service, including relevant contact details. The provider told us this document could be made available in alternative formats, such as other languages, large print, and easy read.

The provider did not always make it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff did not always involve people in decisions about their care or tell them what had changed as a result. Feedback from people and their loved ones was mixed with some people not knowing how to share feedback or feel confident things would change. Some people’s loved ones told us they had regular contact with management and felt they could raise concerns.

The provider made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. We saw recent examples of people being supported quickly and referred in a timely manner when their support needs had changed. This was an area of ongoing improvement and some people confirmed they were aware they could request changes to their care at any time. One person told us, “Care has been reviewed regarding times and changes were made.” However, some people and their loved ones told us it was taking a long tome for any changes to their care to be implemented.

The provider supported people so they could access the care, support and treatment they needed. People and their loved ones told us the provider was flexible around planned call times and although we saw discrepancies with staff deployment, we saw evidence this was an area of improvement. We saw examples when staff completed referrals to external health and social care professionals when required to ensure people had access to required support to meet their needs.

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. However, the provider could not be assured people’s care plans included current information about their end of life wishes. The provider was not supporting people nearing the end of life at the time of our assessment. However, the management told us they would always provide any necessary support to people and their families if required, including liaison with palliative care and other relevant health professionals.