Maer Lane

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 that the service met people’s needs.

At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. People and those close to them were involved in the development of their personalised care and support that met their needs and reflected their preferences. The provider understood individual’s abilities and motivation for change and worked on an individual basis to identify goals and aspirations for people.

The service 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 were supported to access healthcare facilities without restriction. Information regarding their individual needs and preferences were recorded to form a continuous source of information to minimise the risk of disruption to care. The provider understood potential barriers to healthcare and supported people to express their anxieties in a safe and supportive way. Adaptations were made to appointments to provide a supportive environment which engaged people in a way which best met their needs. Staff understood the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure typical barriers faced by people were removed or mitigated against.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People had individual assessments of their communication needs. Staff understood these needs and engaged with people in accordance with their assessed needs. Information was provided in a range of formats including, but not limited to, clear and concise speech and easy read documents. People’s individual communication needs were known by staff supporting them. The provider met the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard. The Accessible Information Standard is a legal requirement for NHS and adult social care providers in England to ensure that people with disabilities, impairments, or sensory loss received information they can easily understand and get the communication support they need.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. Information about how to raise a concern and how to make a complaint was provided to people in ways that met their communication needs, for example in an easy-to-read format. People and relatives felt they were able to raise concerns and were encouraged to speak up about things which mattered to them. One relative said, “I have not made a complaint and I don’t have any concerns, but I know I can go to any of the staff or call the manager if I needed.”

The service made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People were supported by a care provider who had a clear ethos for the service based on human rights, anti-discrimination and equity principles. Relatives confirmed their family members had equal access to services and were free from discrimination based on their protected characteristics. When people were not able to express their health and treatment needs, relatives were engaged in discussions which included health, welfare and mental health needs. These discussions helped form people’s care and support plans.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. People were supported by staff who worked to ensure reasonable adjustments were in place for them to live a fulfilling life and participate in the running of their home. This included, but was not limited to, access to community facilities including public transport, leisure and healthcare facilities.

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. People had individual plans in place for the future. When it was appropriate the provider had systems in place to meet specific instructions regarding protected characteristics, for example religion. One relative told us they had been involved in discussions about future care for their family member. They found this conversation was supportive and done in a sensitive way. The provider worked with people to identify provisions of care in the event of emergencies. For instance, when there was a need to attend accident and emergency for reactive treatment.