ISSAC

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.

This is the first assessment of the supported living service. This key question has been rated 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 assessed people's needs to help ensure care and support was appropriate, safe and person-centred.

Relatives told us they were involved in assessing and reviewing their family member's needs and felt their views were listened to. A relative said, “I was involved in care planning when my [family member] transitioned to the company and continue to be involved.” Another said, “I am very involved in care planning.”

Assessments were completed electronically using a digital system, which supported accurate recording, timely updates to care plans and ensured relevant information was accessible to staff delivering care.

Staff delivered care that met people's needs. Care was provided in line with people's preferences, assessed needs and daily routines.

The service supported people in line with the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture. People received personalised care that promoted their independence, choice and wellbeing. Staff understood people's individual preferences, communication needs and aspirations and provided support in a way that reflected these. Care focused not only on meeting people's physical health needs but also on supporting their social and emotional wellbeing, enabling people to maintain relationships, participate in meaningful activities and lead fulfilling lives. One relative told us, “She is at the centre of her care – it's all about her.”

People's nutritional needs were met, and staff supported people to make choices about their meals and drinks. Relatives told us staff effectively supported their family members with their eating and drinking needs, including following specialist guidance and safely supporting people who received nutrition through a feeding tube.

The service supported people with delegated healthcare tasks. Whilst documentation relating to delegation arrangements could be further developed to promote clarity and consistency, the provider was aware of this and was working collaboratively with healthcare professionals to strengthen arrangements.

Staff, teams and external professionals worked collaboratively to ensure people received safe, coordinated and effective care.

Relatives told us communication was effective and that staff worked well together to meet people's needs. A relative told us, “We are invited to any meetings, and staff are very responsive to anything we wish to discuss, it’s a collaborative relationship with both sides committed to my [family member’s] quality of life”

Health and social care professionals also spoke positively about partnership working. A professional told us, “From my experience, communication between staff and external professionals has been consistent and appropriate. I have not had any concerns raised regarding the care being provided, and interactions have always been professional and focused on achieving positive outcomes for the individuals supported.”

The provider's digital care management system supported effective communication across the staff team and ensured relevant information was accessible to those delivering care. This helped staff and professionals to share information promptly, coordinate support and respond to changes in people's needs.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control.

Relatives spoke positively about the support people received to maintain their health and wellbeing. One relative told us, “Staff support with all medical appointments and they do it professionally.”

Staff worked collaboratively with health and social care professionals to ensure people received timely assessments, reviews and treatment. The service also supported people's wider wellbeing by encouraging them to maintain routines, interests and activities that were important to them.

Health and social care professionals described staff as proactive and responsive in supporting people's health needs. One professional told us, “From my experience, staff have always been receptive to my feedback and recommendations and have been proactive in implementing these to support positive outcomes for the people they support.”

Staff reviewed the care people received to help ensure positive outcomes were maintained and to identify opportunities for improvement. Systems were in place to monitor care delivery, people's wellbeing and any changes in their needs, enabling staff to respond promptly and seek additional support where required.

Relatives spoke positively about the care provided and the outcomes achieved. Comments included, “My sense of it is that staff are committed first and foremost to keeping her safe and secondly to enable her to live a happy and fulfilled life,” and “Definitely the service is effective and my [family member’s] life has improved under care of staff…they are excellent.”

Health and social care professionals spoke positively about the service's approach to monitoring and improving outcomes. One professional told us, “I have worked with ISSAC over a number of years and have found the service to be responsive, professional and person-centred. Staff appear to know the people they support well and demonstrate a good understanding of their individual needs and daily routines.”

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

Care plans contained information about consent, people's preferences and their individual communication needs. This supported staff to understand how to seek and confirm consent during day-to-day interactions and ensured people were involved in decisions about their care.

Staff used creative and least restrictive approaches to support people to maintain choice and independence whilst managing identified risks. For example, where restrictions were in place to manage safety concerns around access to certain items, staff implemented alternative arrangements that enabled people to maintain as much independence as possible.

We identified opportunities to further strengthen the clarity of recording in relation to mental capacity assessments and best interests decisions. The registered manager acknowledged this and advised this would be addressed.