Alpenbest South

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 and their relatives told us they were involved in the assessment process. One person told us, “My wife set that up while I was in hospital – it is ideal.” A relative commented, “I was involved, someone came to see me.”

The provider assessed people’s needs which included ensuring staff knew who was involved in the decision-making process, people’s goals and their current situation. Assessments contained sufficient information for staff to start caring for the person while they got to know them. Care plans were created and updated with the information from the assessment and as staff got to know people.

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 and their relatives told us their nutritional needs were met by staff in line with their agreed packages of care and personal preferences. Comments included, “If my wife is not here, they will do my meals, but it is all arranged beforehand.”, “I do all her shopping and get what mum likes. They do follow my menu, and they are careful she gets plenty of vegetables and fruits.” and “They ask her what she wants the day before, so they know what to do. She has a snack box which they refill.”

The provider used nationally recognised guidance when planning people’s care and included people in the process. Staff had received training to support people with specific healthcare needs in line with nationally recognised standards. For example, for catheter care management and to manage pressure ulcers.

Staff completed the Care Certificate standards which define the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of specific job roles in health and social care. Staff had also completed specific training to support people with a learning disability and/or autistic people and the registered manager demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

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.

People and their relatives told us their care was coordinated well and staff worked well together internally and with partner agencies. Comments included, “I feel that his carers are all trained well. I am busy as I work full time and have a family… so I do depend on the carers and they do not let me down.” and “They will inform their office and me. They have had to call an ambulance for her. Their communication with me is exceptional.”

Staff understood people’s needs well and were able to share information when people moved between services by involving the relevant partners. The provider had systems in place to ensure people only needed to tell their story once, and when there were changes to people’s care, this was shared effectively using the care planning system and externally.

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.

People and their relatives told us staff supported them to manage their health and health and social care related activities, and that staff took an interest in how best to support people. One person told us, “They do call a doctor for me; they (carers) get in touch with the office and they [office] get in touch with my GP.”

Records showed staff worked with healthcare professionals - such as the dentist, district nursing team and GP - to support people to live healthier lives. For example, staff followed an oral care step by step plan provided by the dentist and recorded this in the person’s records. They worked with the person to ensure they felt comfortable going to the dentist by involving them throughout the process.

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.

People and their relatives told us staff monitored people’s care and treatment effectively. People’s care plans included information on how to monitor their health and we were told these were followed by staff. Care plans included information on the referrals staff had made where they noted a change in people’s healthcare needs. A relative told us, “[Staff member] messages me regularly, has contacted the GP for us when she thought things weren’t right, reports back to the office so they always know what’s going on.”

Healthcare professionals told us staff worked well with them to monitor and improve people’s outcomes. One healthcare professional commented, “Alpenbest South always keep [me] updated on our patients and raise concerns if they feel there are any issues.”

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

Information about capacity and consent was recorded in people’s care records and people told us staff always gained their consent prior to supporting them and respected their choices. One person told us, “They’re very good, they’re kind and caring. They’re not overbearing, it’s my house.”

Staff had completed relevant training, respected people’s choices and were knowledgeable about the relevant legislation. They understood what being safe meant to people and respected people’s rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. One member of staff explained, “People are allowed to do what they want. We would let the office know if someone, for example, wanted to stop their medication. But in the end, it’s up to them if they have mental capacity.” Another member of staff said, “If someone doesn’t have mental capacity, there might be some things that they can’t do, but the idea is that there are as few restrictions as possible.”