Ethical Homecare Solutions

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 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. The service had systems in place to ensure people’s care and support needs were assessed thoroughly, involving the person and those important to them. Assessments considered people’s strengths, preferences, communication needs, risks, and desired outcomes. One relative told us, “Staff understand [name] needs. They know them very well.”

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 followed care plans that reflected the person’s assessed needs, and evidence‑based interventions. People and relatives told us staff supported what they wanted and followed the care plan. One relative told us, “Staff follow what [name] wants and needs. Any issues they let us know.” One member of staff told us, “I use their care plans and personal preferences as a guide, ensuring that care is flexible, person-centred, and respectful.”

The provider demonstrated effective joint working across teams and services to ensure people received coordinated, person-centred care. Staff shared relevant information appropriately so that people did not have to repeat their story when moving between different parts of the service. This supported continuity and reduced unnecessary repetition for individuals.

Clear communication processes were in place. Staff engaged in regular supervision, team meetings, and spot checks, which helped maintain oversight of practice and promoted consistent standards of care.

People were supported to access healthcare input when required, including from GPs, nurses, and other community health professionals. One healthcare professional told us, “We work closely with the service, who support people with their daily care, personal hygiene, and general wellbeing. Our partnership is based on clear communication and shared responsibility for people’s safety.”
 

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing in ways that promoted independence, choice, and control. Staff encouraged individuals to develop healthier routines and, where possible, reduce their future need for care and support.

The registered manager shared an example that demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. They told us, ‘When the service first began supporting one person, they were experiencing significant challenges with their physical health and daily routines, including irregular eating and difficulty managing their wellbeing. Through consistent support such as prompting, encouragement, positive interactions, and helping the person establish stable daily routines, the person’s health improved considerably. Over time, they achieved and maintained a healthier weight and greater overall wellbeing.

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 provider kept up to date with any emerging concerns about people’s clinical or quality‑of‑life outcomes through a combination of daily notes, care plan reviews, risk assessments, staff feedback, communication with families, professional input, audits, and management oversight.

Care plans contained detailed information reflecting people’s day‑to‑day wellbeing. This included recorded entries about food and fluid intake, which supported staff to recognise patterns, monitor nutrition and hydration, and act where required. Information captured through daily monitoring informed care reviews and updates to risk assessments, helping to ensure care remained current and person‑centred.

Audit processes were used to check the quality, accuracy, and effectiveness of documentation and care delivery. Findings from audits and reviews were shared with staff through supervision, team meetings, and informal discussions to support consistent improvements in practice.

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

The provider ensured consent was consistently sought, with staff working in line with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) by presuming capacity unless there was a clear reason to assess otherwise. A staff member explained, “Where someone has capacity, we support them to make informed choices. Where capacity is decision-specific or limited, we still involve them as far as possible and work alongside family, representatives or other professionals where appropriate.”