Imola

On this page

• 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 provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 71 (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 were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. They decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs. People’s care plans held relevant and important personalised information to guide staff. Staff were aware of people’s individual needs and social histories which helped them to understand the person and deliver the right care and support. Staff supported people to be active participants in their day to day lives. They used everyday activities to encourage choice and engagement and increase independence by building on and extending skills and preferences. The service made reasonable adjustments for individuals to remove barriers and create a structured environment. For example, the physical setup of their bedroom, visual cues and strategies, schedules and calendars. The service had introduced lead support worker roles to enhance a person-centred approach. They oversaw named individuals, met with them regularly and reviewed ways of improving the person’s quality of life. They empowered people to make decisions about their activities of daily living and if the person was unable to make decisions, they provided the right communication support to understand their wishes and preferences.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. There was evidence to show there was oversight from the point of admission with continued observation and proper review of a person’s needs to continually inform delivery of care tailored to the individual. The provider was mindful of people’s personalities and needs when considering new people moving in and took steps to ensure compatibility before any direct transition planning took place. Leaders promoted a personalised and diverse culture. Management told us their aim was for “people to have the same opportunities as you and I and be part of the local community”. The team delivered and co-ordinated services people needed, and considered their needs and preferences, including protected characteristics and those at risk of poorer experiences. Staff understood the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure that typical barriers faced by people were removed or mitigated against. For example, ear defenders for noise reduction, building trust and confidence for new experiences such as going to a supermarket or on a train and early preparation for healthcare visits and interventions.

People could expect information to be tailored to their individual needs. Information was provided to people in a way that they could understand, and which met their communication needs, in line with the Accessible Information Standard. Information about people that was collected and shared met data protection legislation requirements.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. There was a systematic review of concerns and complaints that drove improvement in service delivery. Relatives told us they knew how to raise a complaint if they needed to, they were confident their concerns would be taken seriously and explored thoroughly. Staff listened to and involved people regularly in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. This included making reasonable adjustments for people, addressing communication barriers and having accessible premises. People were supported to access care, treatment and support when they needed to and in a way that worked for them, which promoted equality, removed barriers or delays and protected their rights. There was evidence to show people were supported to regularly access healthcare professionals such as the dentist, the GP, audiology and opticians. Management made suitable arrangements to ensure people received their annual health check and medication reviews. The provider prioritised and gave resources as needed to tackle inequalities and achieve equity of access. For example, if a person needed hospital treatment staff supported them to provide reassurance, familiarity and communication support. There were arrangements in place to ensure care was always available and staff had support for emergencies when out of hours.

The provider complied with legal equality and human rights requirements, including avoiding discrimination, having regard to the needs of people with different protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments were made to support equity in experience and outcomes. People’s care, support and treatment was planned and tailored to their needs and prevent inequality in experiences and outcomes. A professional told us, “Staff are courteous, professional and focused on advocating for people’s needs.”

All the people at the time of our assessment were young people and did not need end of life care. Whilst management and staff had actively supported some people with bereavement support and social stories, they had not taken steps to address advanced care planning for people with regards to an emergency medical situation and end stages of life. However, people’s decisions and plans in relation to goals, aspirations and what mattered most to them were delivered through personalised care and support plans. Management and staff spoke about people’s life development and people’s plans reflected planning for the future with short term goals and a progression towards longer term aspirations.