Home Instead East Dorset & Blandford

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• 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 good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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. Staff assessed people’s needs before they started using the service to ensure their needs could be met. These assessments formed the basis of care plans that were reviewed annually or when changes occurred.

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. For example, staff received regular training in fluid and nutrition, food safety and dementia awareness to ensure their knowledge was up to date. People told us staff supported them to eat meals they enjoyed and ensured they had enough to eat and drink.People said, “They get my food out and I prepare it. They know precisely what I like.”

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. Healthcare professionals told us staff worked with them to deliver high quality care. The provider said, “We have good working relationships with the mental health team, GP practices, frailty teams etc. We ensure that we communicate any changes in our clients to the relevant people to ensure that the care we provide is personalised and holistic in its approach.” One professional said, “Staff deliver good quality care in a kind and approachable manner. They are approachable and take suggestions and direction well from all healthcare professionals.”

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. Healthcare professionals told us staff contacted them appropriately. One professional said, “Safe care is always provided, they have a good level of communication and contact us appropriately.” People told us staff made referrals to healthcare professionals when they needed them. One relative told us staff had arranged the right equipment and healthcare support they needed to support them well after being discharged from hospital. They said, “The staff spoke with the occupational therapy team and the GP. They arranged the assessments needed to ensure [loved one] had the right equipment and support in place at home. I cannot stress enough how relieved I felt, without their help I don’t know what we would have done.”

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. There was evidence of regular reviews and action being taken immediately following any changes to people’s health needs. One professional said, “Staff follow the care plan well and liaise with family members. They will also ask for support and advice where improvement maybe needed.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and knew how to seek consent. Staff had followed the mental capacity act when people did not have capacity to make decisions for themselves including the people closest to them, to make decisions in their best interest. Staff told us, “It’s extremely important that our clients consent to any care or medication given to respect their wellbeing, safety, autonomy at all times, along with following policy and procedure in order to carry out tasks safely.” People and their relatives told us staff sought consent before commencing any care. One relative said, “When staff come in, they say their name. They say, ‘would you like me to,’ ‘shall I’, ‘we are going to’, they are very gentle.”