Carrick

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

Care plans were up to date and gave a good overview of people’s individual needs. Information included advice and guidance from the organisations Positive Behaviour Support team and external professionals. Staff sought consent before providing care and any restrictive practices were proportionate and the least restrictive option.

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.

Care plans contained information about people’s goals as well as their health and personal care needs.

Staff told us they communicated well as a team and had a good, shared understanding of people’s needs. They were able to refer to care plans quickly if needed. Supervisions and staff meetings were used as an opportunity to consider any changes in needs.

Care plans were reviewed regularly following any changes to people’s needs. Other professionals were consulted when staff identified this could be beneficial to people’s well-being. Any advice and guidance given was written into care plans.

A Positive Behaviour Support team was available for support and guidance when required. They were able to advise staff on how best to support people when their needs changed.

Staff told us they understood the needs of people they supported and had the skills necessary to meet those needs.

The service worked with other agencies to help ensure people received care in line with evidence based good practice. This included working with occupational therapists and dieticians. Regular training ensured staff were informed of any changes to best practice guidance.

Staff completed daily notes to provide a picture of how people spent their time.

Staff told us they were kept up to date and communicated well as a team. The registered manager told us communication with another agency involved in one person’s care had recently improved and information was being shared more effectively. One staff member commented; “Communication amongst ourselves at Carrick is excellent.”

The registered manager encouraged shared learning across agencies. On the day of the second visit one staff member had accompanied a person to their day placement to facilitate the sharing of information and best practice between the teams responsible for supporting the person.

Staff had handovers when coming on shift to make them aware of any changes or areas of concern. Daily notes, communication books and service diaries provided an overview of how the service was running.

People were encouraged to take part in exercise according to their individual needs and to follow a well-balanced diet. There was fresh fruit and vegetables available.

Staff understood how people should be supported to stay healthy and well. The registered manager told us; “Staff know when people are unwell, especially [Staff name]. They will look at [Name] and say, ‘there is something going on’.”

There were processes to support people to manage their health and well-being. Records showed people attended annual health checks. Hospital passports had been developed for use if people needed to be admitted to hospital.

People had defined goals. There was limited information on how people had identified these goals or how they could be supported to achieve them. However, goals were meaningful and in line with people’s interests. One person was going to be supported to be more involved in their finances.

The registered manager and staff were enthusiastic about supporting people to work towards their goals and try new experiences. One commented; “There's so much to do at Carrick, and everyone seems to always look forward to completing tasks, efficiently and effectively.”

When people had been reluctant to undergo medical interventions, the service had worked in partnership with specialist services to help ensure they remained well and their health was monitored. A professional commented, “With hard work the senior support worker has gone from strength to strength with this individual to support them to have physical health observations. This work is ongoing with GP and staff team but is going from strength to strength.”

People were able to make day to day choices about how they spent their time. Mental capacity records showed how staff had worked to engage people in the process.

Staff had completed training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). An external professional commented; “The team were working hard to reduce the high level of restrictions that had been put in place with the previous provider.”

Some people had restrictions in place and DoLS applications had been made. On the first day of the assessment visit we identified one person did not have a mental capacity assessment to evidence they were unable to agree to the restrictions. Another person had conditions on their DoLS that had not been adhered to in the set time frame. The registered manager addressed these issues immediately.