Choices Homecare (Bolton and Bury)

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

We looked at the systems in place regarding assessing people’s needs. Each person who used the service had an assessment completed by the local authority, although we were not provided with any evidence of assessments being carried out by Choices Homecare. We were shown one assessment for a person, although this made reference to the previous organisations name and was brief in terms of the areas covered, with some key areas missing. Appropriate systems to obtain people's consent were not always in place. MCA (Mental Capacity Act) assessments were not decision specific, for example where any restrictions were in place such as the use of bedrails. Written consent forms were inconsistent in the care plans we looked at during the assessment.

This service scored 62 (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 felt involved in the care they received, although couldn't recall an assessment being carried out when their care package first commenced, other than the one done by the local authority.

We raised the concern with management about initial assessments not being in place and asked for them to be sent to us, although these were not provided.

We looked at the systems in place regarding assessing people’s needs and overall looked at 10 people's care plans. Each person who used the service had an assessment completed by the local authority, although we were not provided with any evidence of assessments being carried out by Choices Homecare. We were shown one assessment for a person, although this made reference to the previous organisations name and was brief in terms of the areas covered, with some key areas missing.

We did not look at Delivering evidence-based care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at How staff, teams and services work together during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Supporting people to live healthier lives during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Monitoring and improving outcomes during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

People told us they had been involved in agreeing and reviewing their care and support.

Staff explained how they obtained people’s consent for the support provided.

Appropriate systems to obtain people's consent were not always in place. MCA (Mental Capacity Act) assessments were not decision specific, for example where any restrictions were in place such as the use of bedrails. Written consent forms were inconsistent in the care plans we looked at during the assessment.