Alina Homecare Walton on Thames

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.

People received care that was based on a thorough assessment of their needs and preferences. Involving people and their families in care planning helped ensure care was person-centred and reflected what was important to them. Regular updates and easy access to care plans helped staff provide consistent and effective support.

Staff told us care plans were created following an assessment carried out by a supervisor or manager with the person receiving care. People and, where appropriate, their family members were involved in developing the care plan to ensure it reflected their needs, preferences and wishes.

Care plans were detailed and provided staff with the information they needed to carry out their role safely and effectively. Staff told us they could easily access care plans using the provider's electronic care system and would review them, particularly when supporting new people.

One staff member said, "I know a lot of the input in the plan comes from the client and their family. I can get access to care plans very easily on the (electronic) app and will always look at it, especially with new clients."

Another staff member explained, "The care plan is created during the assessment process between the supervisor or manager and the client. Care plans are very detailed, and I have all the information that I need to carry out my role. Any changes to a client are added and updated on the care plan."

Staff understood the importance of keeping care records up to date and told us changes to people's needs were recorded and reflected in care plans.

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.

People received care that reflected their assessed needs and current circumstances. Staff had clear information about people's health, nutritional requirements and any specialist dietary needs. Staff were able to respond flexibly when people required additional support, helping to ensure people received safe, effective and person-centred care that promoted their health, comfort and wellbeing. One relative told us, “At the moment my mum is getting the right level of support.”

Care plans contained detailed information about people's nutritional and dietary needs. This included any special diets, dietary preferences and guidance from external professionals, such as speech and language therapy services. Where people required modified diets or support with eating and drinking safely, this information was clearly recorded for staff to follow and in accordance with evidence-based research.

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 demonstrated an understanding of the importance of collaborative working and adapting care arrangements to ensure people received consistent support. Staff worked well together across the area covered by the service so that people who had live-in staff also received support to ensure live-in staff received adequate break.

The service worked effectively with local agencies and healthcare professionals to support people safely in their homes. For example, staff supported a person who had a catheter by emptying it, while district nurses were responsible for changing the catheter. The person’s care records contained evidence of involvement from different professionals and demonstrated that staff understood their role in the person’s care alongside the responsibilities of the district nursing team. A person receiving end-of-life care had support from the palliative care team and district nurses ensuring their changing needs were recognised and met.

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.

Staff generally felt they had enough time to support people with meals and other tasks. One staff member told us, "I prepare meals for my clients. I don't feel rushed as I always have plenty of time."

Another staff member explained that care visits could sometimes take longer than planned if a person's needs changed. They said, "If I arrive and find a client has had a toilet accident, I wouldn't leave them. I would complete all the tasks needed, even if this means overrunning for the next client. If it happens consistently, we would speak with the family to let them know more time is needed."

This demonstrated that staff prioritised people's immediate needs and that care packages were reviewed when additional support was required

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.

Staff had the information they needed to provide consistent support, helping people work towards positive outcomes while ensuring care continued to meet their needs.

Care records contained clear, personalised guidance for staff to support people to achieve their identified goals. For example, 1 person recovering from a hip operation had a detailed care plan outlining their daily exercises they needed to complete, including instructions on how staff should prompt and support them to carry out the exercises safely and consistently.

Relatives spoke positively about the care people received. One relative told us, “Mum is fine with everything, so I really can’t think of anything that needs to be better.”

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

Care records clearly documented people’s capacity to make decisions and provided guidance for staff on how to gain consent. For example, 1 person’s care plan confirmed they had capacity and instructed staff to explain everything they were about to do before providing care. The care plan stated the person would indicate their consent by nodding or otherwise acknowledging their agreement.

Relatives told us staff involved people on decisions around their care. One relative said, “I never heard them explicitly ask for consent, but what is really nice is that they talk her through every step. They make it chatty, they’ll say things like, ‘We’re going to wash your legs now is that okay?’ And my mum seems to respond better to that.” Another relative told us, “Mum is always given time to understand and respond to anything that the carer tells her. They always make sure she understands everything.”

Staff completed training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to help in their understanding of the legal framework of the act and how it helps to protect vulnerable people. A staff member told us, “Yes, I have had training. I assume everyone has mental capacity until proven otherwise.”