KMX Nursing Agency

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. Preservice assessments were undertaken face to face with people and their relatives before they started to use the service. Assessments were completed by members of the management team and included questions to decide whether the service was appropriate for the person. A professional told us, “In the past, KMX had a tendency to accept individuals with very high levels of distressed behaviour, which sometimes led to challenges in meeting those needs effectively. This has since improved, and they are now more transparent about their capacity and specialism, which helps ensure better outcomes.” A relative commented on the assessment process and said, “They gave us a pack and introduced themselves, we went through all sorts.”

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. Staff followed the Stopping Over Medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both (STOMP) principles. The registered manager gave an example where a person’s medicines had been safely reduced which provided a positive outcome for them. Staff understood and followed people’s PBS plans. A staff member gave examples of how they supported a person who could display behaviours through anxiety or frustration. They told us, “With [person], I tailor activities and routines based on what makes them comfortable and happy, like giving them space when needed and talking when they are in the mood.”

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. Partners in care provided positive feedback about how staff and managers worked with them. Comments included, “[Registered manager] has been keen to engage with me and the parents and has attended 2 face to face meetings. [Staf member] has attended 1. These meetings have been collaborative and concluded positively.” And, “KMX carers consistently uphold high professional standards in patient safety, duty of care, and communication. Given the client's needs, carers have always remained close by to support both the client and [professional team members] during sessions. This has facilitated effective communication and positive outcomes. At the end of each visit, carers routinely sought detailed recommendations, which they documented and relayed to colleagues and management. They also repeated these instructions for clarification, demonstrating a clear commitment to accuracy.”

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. Staff followed guidance provided to promote good nutrition and hydration. A staff member told us, “For [person], we monitor hydration and encourage regular fluids.” A professional told us how a person’s needs were met holistically and said, “The manager and the staff team made use of their professional knowledge and followed other professionals’ recommendations to improve my client’s wellbeing; they promoted healthy eating habits and help them to regulate their sleep pattern. My client’s sleep pattern was irregular a few months ago. The managers and the staff team worked proactively to ensure my client was engaging in active and meaningful activities during the day to promote their sleep hygiene.”

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. The management team and staff monitored people’s outcomes and knew how to seek support from health and social care professionals when required. Staff provided feedback to professionals following their input. The electronic care management system (ECM) alerted managers and office staff immediately if concerns were raised; this enabled them to seek early intervention if required. Daily care records showed people were receiving the support they required as indicated in their support plans. Staff documented people’s mood, food and fluid intake as well as bowel movements where a risk had been identified.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff respected people's wishes including their right to decline support. Staff had received Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) training and clearly described how they followed the act in practice. A staff member said, “I check if they (people) can understand, remember, weigh up the information, and communicate their choice. If they can’t do these things, they may lack capacity. I report any concerns to my manager or senior staff. If a person lacks capacity, we still listen to their views and wishes.” The provider ensured written consent for various decisions was obtained from people or their legal representatives. Where some people were unable to communicate their consent, staff would watch out for signs to indicate they were not happy with the support they were receiving and would change their approach.