Your Life (Stratford-upon-Avon)

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 they were involved in discussions to ensure they received care that was reflective of their personal preferences and routines. When talking about their care plan with 1 person, they told us, “That is the thing we have just ironed out.” A staff member explained, “Every care plan is specifically designed for each individual person and that person's needs and wants. How they like things done and what they expect of us when supporting them.” People knew who to contact if they had any questions or queries about their care or wanted to change it.

Care plans were reviewed every 6 months, or sooner if there were changes in people’s health or medical conditions. This meant staff had up to date and accurate information which kept people at the centre of the care they received.

Staff explained how they used communication to ensure people received care and support that was responsive to their wishes and preferences day to day. One staff member told us, “When we are doing personal care, we make sure we are constantly talking to people about how they like things done, what is their routine, how they would do it for themselves."

New staff received an induction when they started working at the service which included shadowing more experienced staff. This gave staff the opportunity to meet people and develop an understanding of how people preferred their care to be provided.

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 could purchase a personal care service from Your Life (Stratford upon Avon) or arrange personal care from an external provider if preferred. Sometimes people chose to have a care package which was split between Your Life (Stratford upon Avon) and another provider. The registered manager explained how essential information was shared with the other provider to ensure consistency in the care delivery.

People received support from a small team of staff which provided continuity in their care.

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

The provider had an Accessible Information Policy based on the Accessible Information Standards. People were assessed to identify any specific communication needs due to hearing and sight impairments or physical, mental or cultural needs. Any adjustments required to support people with their preferred method of communication were documented in their care plans. For example, whether people with hearing loss required hearing aids to promote communication. The provider could also provide information in alternative formats such as Braile, audio or in a different language.

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.

People told us they were confident to express their views because they felt listened to. One person told us, “If something was annoying me, I would tell them and I am quite sure they would listen." Another person explained, “If you come across staff in the corridor and you say something, they will listen to what you want and they will do it." When we asked a third person who they would talk to if they had any concerns, they responded, “I would speak to [registered manager]. He is good, he listens to what you have to say and he is hands on.”

Duty managers met with people regularly to review and evaluate their care package to ensure their views were known and their care continued to be responsive to their wishes and preferences. The provider promoted an open culture, and people were asked to give their feedback about the service through reviews, surveys, compliments and complaints. People were given a copy of the complaints process when they started using the service.

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

Staff understood which services to call if people needed medical support or guidance. Members of the management team were available 24 hours a day to provide guidance and support in an emergency.

The development had been built to ensure the main entrance, corridors and doorways were accessible for people with mobility needs. Where a need was identified, people were referred to other healthcare professionals and agencies, so they had the appropriate equipment in place to enable them to access all areas of their home safely. For example, walking frames, grab rails and shower chairs.

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.

Staff received regular training on equality and diversity to ensure they understood their responsibility to support people without discrimination and protect their characteristics under the Equality Act. Staff were encouraged to raise any concerns about meeting people’s protected characteristics.

Support plans detailed the outcomes people wished to achieve through the support provided. Regular reviews of support plans gave managers the opportunity to consider whether people’s outcomes were being met.

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 were invited to discuss how they wanted to be supported when their health deteriorated. This included where they wanted to be cared for, what level of treatment they were happy with and what they would like to happen in an emergency. Where people had a ‘ReSPECT’ form detailing their personalised recommendations for clinical care and treatment if they were unable to make or express choices, this was recorded. Care plans contained information about people's significant relationships and who they wanted to be contacted if they were unwell or in the event of an emergency.

The registered manager told us when people became very poorly, staff worked with the family and other healthcare professionals to ensure people were kept comfortable and pain free. Staff had received training in end-of-life care.