UK Prime Care Services

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• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. People and their relatives told us staff knew them very well, understood their needs and felt they received a personalised service. Due to the funding nature of the care, people and their relatives confirmed their care could be flexible to ensure it was scheduled when it was needed. Staff completed multiple shadowing visits with people and reviewed their care records before starting to work with them. Staff told us this helped them to fully understand how people liked to be supported. A person said, “The care is very much person-centred. This flexibility makes a big difference to my comfort and satisfaction."

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. People and their relatives told us how having regular care staff and continuity of care helped to improve their health and wellbeing. A person told us how having a regular pool of care workers had positively impacted their health and wellbeing as staff had a good understanding of their needs and how they liked to be supported. They added, “The consistency is excellent. I’m grateful for the excellent care I receive and hope it continues to support my independence and wellbeing."

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People’s communication needs were assessed during their initial assessment, with clear information recorded about how staff could communicate with them. Staff told us that along with shadowing visits, they always had detailed information to ensure effective communication. A person added, “I receive all documents and communications via email, as per my preference, which is very convenient."

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. Although people and their relatives told us they had never had to make any complaints, they were all confident they would be listened to and felt comfortable contacting the registered manager if needed. A person added, “I feel confident that I could raise a complaint if necessary. I haven’t needed to make a formal complaint, but I trust that it would be handled professionally based on my interactions with the team.” The registered manager felt due to the positive relationships they had built up with people and their relatives, this helped to resolve issues and reduce any conflict. They added, “We let them know we are here for them and if we can do anything for them, or if we aren't doing anything right, then please tell us so we can make their life better."

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The provider had regular correspondence with people to review their needs and find out if further support was needed. Where people had mobility issues or struggled to communicate fully over the phone, the provider ensured they carried out home visits to check on their care and gather their feedback. Where appropriate, staff supported people to healthcare appointments or called emergency services to ensure they accessed the care they required.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The registered manager had an awareness of the groups of people who were at risk of possible disadvantages and knew the procedures to follow to address any possible barriers within their care. The provider carried out social inclusion assessments and highlighted the risks associated with discrimination, a lack of accessibility and language or cultural barriers and how this could have a negative impact on people and local communities. The registered manager said, “As a provider, we treat people fairly and we aim to make sure they all have access to as many services and life experiences as any other person would."

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. The registered manager was aware of the importance of this if people’s needs changed and people’s care records had a dedicated section to record their advanced decisions, wishes and what was important to them at this stage of their life. The registered manger confirmed that end of life care was not being provided at the time of the inspection.