Vincentian Care Plus

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 provider met people’s needs.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment 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 provider 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 told us the care and support they received was personal to them. They said they had regular care staff, who knew them and their needs very well.

Staff told us they recognised people as individuals, who each had their separate and specific support needs. They said it was beneficial being able to support the same people on a regular basis, as they could get to know people well and have a true understanding of their wants, needs and preferences. Staff also told us there was detailed information in people’s care plans and risk assessments and they worked hard to make sure people received care and support that was centred around them.A member of staff told us, “I always strive to go the extra mile for our service users by ensuring they are consistently supported by familiar care workers, which I believe is key to delivering personalised and compassionate care.”

The provider 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 and their representatives told us staff worked well to ensure people received flexible support to meet their needs and contacted other services when required.

Staff told us they followed people’s care plans but also ensured flexibility so people could make different choices during care visits if they wanted. Staff said they also supported some people to go shopping, access the local community and take part in social activities. A member of staff told us, “Before each visit, I review the care plan and notes to understand the person's specific needs. I also take time to ask them how they're feeling that day, in case there are any changes. This helps me provide the right care consistently.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People and their representatives confirmed they had access to relevant information, including care plans and daily notes.

Staff told us they made sure people had their communication needs assessed, and information was available to people in different formats if this was needed, such as large print, easy read, audio or other languages. The registered manager told us that respect for people’s communication preferences was at the core of their approach.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The service had effective systems and processes to help ensure people knew how to give feedback about their care and support, including how to raise any concerns or issues. There were also processes in place for the staff and management team to learn from complaints and concerns and use them as opportunities for improvement.

People and their representatives told us they knew who to contact if they had any concerns or wanted to make a complaint. They told us the registered manager investigated and resolved their complaints. People made comments such as, “They send a questionnaire [for feedback], and I send it back.” and, “They call sometimes and ask if everything is okay.”

Staff told us they listened to people and, if there were any concerns, they supported them to contact the office so their voices would be heard and improvements could be made. Staff also told us that regular telephone monitoring calls were carried out, to check on people’s wellbeing and ensure they felt supported.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People’s care packages were reviewed and staff stayed in regular contact with the office and management team, to ensure people’s changing needs were responded to quickly. Staff supported people to access other health and social care services when required and assisted people with health care appointments and called emergency services if required.

A person’s representative told us, “They work with [Name] and they stay with them all the time. They take [Name] out to the park and the café.”

Information in a person’s care plan demonstrated how they were supported by staff to follow their faith and access the local community. We saw there were clear guidelines for staff to be able to support the person with accessing transport.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

The service had effective processes and systems in place to help ensure people were able to access the resources they needed and live their lives as they chose, without discrimination.

People and their representatives told us they felt they were treated fairly and supported in accordance with their individual needs and wishes. Nobody had experienced any discrimination or inequality. People told us the care workers helped them access external resources when they needed them. A person told us, “The reason they [staff] come, is mostly for me to go out. If they were not so good it would make problems for me, but I’m happy with them.”

People also told us their choices of staff gender was respected and some people explained why this was so important for them. A person told us, “I prefer ladies and I get ladies.” Another person said, “Male; only male carers!”

The registered manager gave us information about the service, which highlighted their ‘Befrienders Department’. This was where volunteers offered companionship and social support to people, to help reduce loneliness and isolation.

Information in people’s care plans demonstrated that staff took time to find out what was important for people and we saw evidence that people’s wishes were upheld.

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.

Staff did not complete in-house training for end-of-life care but they told us that, as and when needed, they worked closely with the person, their families, GPs and other palliative care professionals. Staff said they respected people’s individual wishes and adhered to training and guidance provided by other professionals.We saw that people using the service had opportunities to discuss their future wishes and, where people chose to do this, the information was recorded in their care plans.