Safe Hands Care & Support 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.

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.

People received tailored support that was centred around their assessed needs, choices and decisions. People's needs were assessed before they started receiving support from the service. People's care plans contained details about how staff should best support them, and regular reviews were undertaken.

Staff knew people's preferences, likes and dislikes. They provided support in line with legislation, standards and guidance to achieve effective outcomes. Information within care plans included people’s preferences with daily routines and details about their likes and dislikes.

People’s relatives told us they were involved and consulted around people’s care. Comments included, “I was involved in setting up the care” and “When setting the care up, [relative] had been discharged from hospital and we had extensive and comprehensive chats with the company to set the care up.”

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.

The provider and manager demonstrated a good understanding and application of current good practice to assess and act on people’s needs. They ensured care planning gave staff the right level of information to meet people’s needs. People received support from staff who had the right training and support. A relative told us, “Staff are well trained, they're very kind and caring. My [relative] is very happy with them.”

The service delivered care and support in line with best practice guidance. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met. People were given choices each day of what they would like to eat for their meals. Staff monitored people’s wellbeing and encouraged healthy choices. A relative commented, “[Staff] prepare meals and [relative] is able to choose what they want.”

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.

Staff worked well with external healthcare professionals. They made timely referrals when they identified people had a specific need. Staff communicated with various professionals such as the local authority, GP and community healthcare teams. A relative told us, “Staff also apply creams, they would let me know if there were any issues like bed sores and they would also call the GP.”

Documents known as ‘Hospital Passports’ were in place. These documents are for people to take to hospital with them to help medical staff understand the person, their needs and the support they need to meet them. Hospital passports were reviewed as people’s needs changed.

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.

There was information for staff on how to monitor and care for people to keep them safe and well. Care plans included a section on people’s health and well-being and incorporated details of people's diagnosis and medical background.

People were involved in regularly reviewing their health and well-being needs and were encouraged and supported to make healthy choices to help promote and maintain independence and well-being. A staff member told us, “I follow the guidance in the care plan and other documents [to meet people’s needs]/ We speak with the families and the district nurse too.”

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 provider had a robust approach to monitoring the effectiveness of people’s care and treatment, and action was taken to continuously improve it. People and their relatives told us, “We're very pleased with the quality of the care that the company is providing” and “The staff have been great. They are very proactive and friendly.”

Staff monitored and evaluated outcomes related to people’s health and quality of life. Outcomes were set for people in their care plans. These detailed how people wanted to be supported to achieve their goals and outcomes. Daily notes were completed by staff. These enabled staff to monitor people and help staff respond to people’s changing needs promptly to help promote positive outcomes.

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

People had care plans in place regarding capacity and their decision-making abilities. People were involved in decisions about their care from the outset, and staff sought consent before providing support, explaining what they were going to do in a way people could understand. A staff member told us, “I ask for consent [before carrying out any care tasks].”

Where people were unable to consent to a particular decision, the provider complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, consulting other relevant parties and ensuring decisions were made in a person’s best interests.