CCS Home Care Services (Hillingdon)

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

People’s care needs were assessed before their care package started and were regularly reviewed. Care workers completed training to ensure they were up to date with best practice. Care workers regularly reviewed people’s care plans to ensure care outcomes were being met. People’s health and wellbeing was monitored to help them stay healthy. People’s capacity to consent to their care was assessed.

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.

People told us they had been involved in identifying their support needs and when the care plans were reviewed.

Care supervisors explained they would meet with the person and their relatives to discuss their care needs and find out how they wanted their support provided. The care supervisors would then develop the care plan and confirm them with the person.

People’s care needs and how they wanted their support provided was discussed before the first visit. If the care package was funded by the local authority additional information was provided. All this information was used to develop the person’s care plan and risk assessments within 48 hours of the first care visit. Care plans and risk assessment which were in place were reviewed every 6 months or whenever the person’s support needs changed.

People receiving care and their relatives felt their care needs were met and were reflected in how their support was provided.

Care workers confirmed they had completed a range of training courses with annual refreshers sessions to ensure they were up to date with current best practice. They also completed specialist training to meet people’s specific support needs which included stoma support, arthritis, and brain injury.

Care workers received guidance on current national legislation and best practice. A range of presentations had been developed including safeguarding adults which was based on Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) guidance, medication safety working with local pharmacy services and choking using case studies from the CQC website. People’s care plans identified if they required assistance with the preparation of food and/or support to eat. People’s food preferences were also identified in their care plans.

People receiving care and relatives said the provider worked with healthcare and other professionals involved in their care.

The registered manager explained information relating to people’s care, health and wellbeing was shared with healthcare and other professionals involved in supporting for people such as the GP being informed of a fall or change in a medical condition.

We were unable to gather any direct feedback from partners but we saw communication between the provider and various partners which demonstrated they worked closely with the local authority and other professionals.

The provider had an electronic care planning system which enabled care workers to access people’s care plans remotely so they can review the information during care visits.

Relatives told us they were responsible for arranging medical appointments for their family member and the care workers would alert them if they felt the person need to see a healthcare professional.

Care workers informed us that staff based in the office helped people access their GP or other healthcare professionals, if required.

The provider supported people, when required, to communicate with healthcare professionals and arrange reviews and appointments. If a person experienced a fall the provider ensured the person’s GP was informed so they could assess if a healthcare review was required. Care plans included information on how to support the person with their oral care. The contact details of healthcare professional involved in the person’s care and wellbeing were included in the care plans.

People using the service and their relatives confirmed staff monitored them and checked their wellbeing.

Care workers said they regularly checked people’s care plans which included information on outcomes for care.

People’s care plans identified outcomes in relation to the person’s care and support. The outcomes covered areas including choice and control of day-to-day decisions, personal dignity, nutrition and quality of life. The outcomes provided guidance for care workers on how the person would like to be supported when receiving care such as supporting choice of clothing, food and maintaining personal dignity.

People using the service and relatives said care workers ensured people were supported to make choices and consent to the care they received. One person commented, “We are both happy with the carers who arrive on time and keep me safe. They wear PPE and give personal care and food like cereal and a sandwich. They always give choices and options.”

Care workers demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of gaining consent from the person before providing care. They told us they ensure they offer choice around food, clothing and how personal care was provided with people who could consent to their care. The care workers were less confident when asked about ensuring choice with people who could not consent to their support.

The provider carried out mental capacity assessments, when required, to assess if a person could consent to the care being provided but these assessments were generic and did not always reflect the different aspects of care being provided. This meant the provider could not always ensure if the person was unable to consent to an aspect of their care such as personal care or medicine administration. This was discussed with the registered manager who explained they were in the process of reviewing the format of the mental capacity assessments and the issue identified would be considered by this review to ensure the assessments reflected the principles of The Mental Capacity Act 2005. People’s care plans indicated if the person had any wishes in relation to their care if their health were to deteriorate or if they required care at the end of their life.