Archived: Runnymede Reablement Service

The reablement service supports people to regain the skills they need to remain independent after a period of ill health. The frequency of visits and length of time support is provided varies according to people’s individual needs, up to a maximum of six weeks. Referrals to the service are made by hospitals in Surrey and the County Council’s adult social care locality teams. The reablement service is free of charge to people using the service. It is located in the Addlestone area.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the previous inspection on 19 February 2014, the service was compliant with the standards inspected against. At this inspection the regulations were met.

People told us they were very happy with the service provided and received the care and support that had been agreed with them. This was provided at the right time and if for any reason it could not be, they were informed in advance. The designated tasks were carried out to their satisfaction by committed and caring staff. People felt safe using the service and thought it was effective, caring, responsive and well led.

The records were up to date and covered all aspects of the care and support people received. This included people’s choices and identified and met their needs. The information was clearly recorded on a computerised system, fully completed, and regularly reviewed. This enabled staff to receive the information and support they needed to perform their duties.

Staff knew the people they gave support to and the way people liked to be supported. They also worked well as a team. Staff provided care and support in a professional, friendly and effective way that was focussed on the individual and they had appropriate skills to do so. They were well trained, knowledgeable and accessible to people using the service and their relatives.

Staff said the organisation was a good one to work for and they enjoyed their work. They had access to good training, support and there were opportunities for career advancement.

People and their relatives were encouraged to discuss health and other needs with staff and had agreed information passed on to GP’s and other community based health professionals, as appropriate. Staff protected people from nutrition and hydration associated risks by giving advice about healthy food options and balanced diets whilst still providing meals that people enjoyed.

Staff had received appropriate training about the Mental Capacity Act and were aware of their responsibilities regarding it.

People told us the office, management team and organisation were approachable, responsive, encouraged feedback and frequently monitored and assessed the quality of the service provided.

We looked at people's individual files which incorporated their personal profile, support plans and risk assessments and found they encompassed the safety and well-being of people who use the service. People who use the service and staff told us that they knew how to raise a concern or complaint and felt confident in doing so. People said if they had any issues they could "talk to staff or the manager."

There were policies and procedures in place providing guidance and all staff had received relevant training which was confirmed by staff we spoke with. We looked at the quality of the service and found the provider had systems and procedures in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of the service provided.

All the people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the support they received from the service. They said that reablement assistants were friendly, polite and treated them with respect. They said that they saw the same reablement assistants regularly, which was important to them.

People told us that the reablement assistants understood their needs and how they wished their support to be provided. They said that the reablement assistants encouraged them to achieve their goals and to maintain their independence. We found that people had opportunities to be involved in planning their care and to contribute their views about the service they received.

Some of the staff we spoke with told us that in the past they had not always been given sufficient information about people's needs before providing support to them. The Council had addressed this issue by employing a member of staff in each of the county's acute hospitals to ensure that people's needs were properly assessed before they started to use the reablement service.