Precious Homes Black Country Community Services

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 for this 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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

There was evidence of regular meaningful reviews and updating of care and support plans. People’s relatives told us they and their loved ones were consulted and involved in planning and reviewing the care provided. A relative told us, “We regularly attend reviews.” Records reflected what was important to and for the person. Staff understood how each person communicated, and they had been trained in effective communication to meet the individual needs and preferences of the people they supported.

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.

Recognised tools were used to assess risks such as, falls, eating and drinking, managing behaviours and health conditions. Where risks were identified, a plan of care was in place to manage and mitigate risks to people. Staff had completed person specific training, in addition to core training, to better understand people’s individual needs. People using the service were involved in planning their meals, as well as shopping and preparing them as much as possible. Staff encouraged people to maintain healthy and balanced diets. A relative told us, “Staff support [relative] with eating and drinking and their food preferences.”

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’s care plans and individual risk assessment were accessible to care staff. These contained all the information needed to deliver people’s care and support appropriately. Managers shared necessary information with external teams involved in a person’s wider support to help ensure continuity of care was maintained. The provider worked in partnership with people’s families, professionals and other care agencies.

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 supported people to attend medical appointments where required. Staff recorded the outcome of medical appointments in people’s care records and care plans were updated where required to reflect any changes.

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.

People’s care plans and risk assessments were regularly reviewed with them to ensure they met the person’s needs, wishes and preferences.

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

Staff understood the importance of ensuring people’s rights were respected. Staff had been trained and they understood people’s rights under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. A member of staff told us, “I have received training on the Mental Capacity Act, which covers the principle of presuming capacity, supporting the service users to make their decisions, and acting in their best interests if they lack capacity. I always seek consent from the individuals before providing support to them, explaining what I am going to do in a way they can understand. If the individuals I am supporting refuse support that is in their care plan, I will respect their decision and try to explore the reason behind the refusal. Probably, they need more information or time to process. I will offer reassurance to them or try a different approach. If the refusal could put the individuals at risk, then I would escalate to the manager on duty, document it, and follow the organisation’s procedure in regard to mental capacity best interest process.”

There were systems in place to ensure those making decisions about the care and support people received had the legal authority to do so. Any restrictions imposed on people were done so lawfully. Assessments of people’s capacity to consent to their care and treatment were seen and best interest meetings had taken place where a person lacked the capacity to consent to their care or treatment. Tenancy agreements had been either signed by people’s legal representative or agreed by the Court of Protection.