Civicare East Ltd Also known as Abacus Care (Essex) Limited

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’s needs were assessed prior to the commencement of the service. People and their relative’s comments were positive in relation to their experience and confirmed they were fully involved in this process. A relative told us, “We had a long assessment in the beginning when they chatted to [person] not just to us.”

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. Processes were in place to assess people’s nutritional, and hydration needs. People’s care plans reflected people’s favourite foods, snacks and drinks. People and relatives told us staff were supportive in encouraging them to eat and drink where required to maintain a balanced diet of their choice. Comments included, “They (care staff) know my likes and dislikes, they know I don’t like sugar. They are on the ball, which gives me lots of reassurance” and “The care staff take me to the supermarket once a week. I choose the food I like. They know I am diabetic, and they know my likes and dislikes.”

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 received support from both Civicare East Ltd and their relative/representative to access other health services to support their health and wellbeing. One person told us, “They (care staff) check my skin and if they are concerned about any soreness, they suggest I phone my GP.” Staff told us they had access to the information they needed to appropriately assess, plan and deliver people’s care, treatment and support.

The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. People’s records included important information about their health conditions, medicines and guidance for staff on how to support people’s health and wellbeing.

People spoke positively about the support they received from the service relating to booking and attending appointments. While most either managed their own health appointments or had support from a relative/representative some people relied on the care staff to support them to attend healthcare appointments. One person told us, “If I am poorly, they (care staff) contact my doctor. They take me to the hospital for eye appointments and blood tests.”

The service routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. People received good outcomes because of the support provided to them. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s care and support needs. Relatives told us how staff supported their loved ones to help them improve their health and wellbeing. Comments included, “Staff make sure [person] completes the exercises prescribed by the Physiotherapist,” and “Staff understand [persons] health conditions and takes into account any problems which may occur with [person’s] variable mobility and memory problems.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. All of the people we spoke with told us staff asked for consent before carrying out any care and support. A relative told us, “They (care staff) allow [person] to do what they can.”

Staff had received training around the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and were able to describe how they apply this in their day-to-day practice. One member of staff told us, “I let people lead the way, ask them what and how they want things. When I am washing someone, I ask them if they would like to do this for themselves and they often say yes. We are only there to help them with what they cannot do.”