How the Service is Delivered
When someone approaches 1st Care directly or has been referred to us by the local authority adult social services department/health service and which might be funding some or all of your care, we will discuss both the needs and our capacity to meet the needs with all involved. If it is a direct referral, we will discuss the issues with the individual concerned and, where appropriate, their relatives and informal carers. If a local authority/health service, we will among other issues, seek to know how our service will contribute to the contributions of any other services and professional in achieving the best outcomes for the individual and their significant others.
After discussing the issues with any third parties making the referral or request, we would then contact the prospective users of the services before confirming that we can offer a valid service.
In all cases, we treat information that is passed to us sensitively and in confidence and in line with current data protection laws, regardless of whether we go on to provide the service.
Assessing needs
If someone is referred to us from adult social services/health service, we will study existing assessments of need and the circumstances in which those needs have arisen. If it is clear that the type of home care that we provide will address the assessed needs, we will proceed to assess how we can respond to the assessment that has been made (provider assessment) and develop a suitable service delivery plan with the agencies already involved.
If a new person receiving care has approached us directly (or through their family) with a view to funding their own care and support, we will make an assessment ourselves. To do this, we will discuss the needs with the prospective user and their informal supports, and if necessary, as part of the assessment and depending on the needs expressed, will seek their permission to obtain information from other professionals and agencies that might be able to help with the assessment.
1st Care Management and/or the Care Co-ordinator usually carries out provider assessments, although we will sometimes seek the services of other professionals, eg an independent social worker if this is appropriate.
Our aim is always to make sure that we understand what the needs are to which we will be responding, and what the person’s preferences are about the services they seek and need, so that we can respond in ways that really suit them.
Assessing risks to personal safety
We explain to the person receiving care that as part of the overall assessment we also need to assess any risks from the service that could result in harm to the person receiving care and to our staff. We then put in any measures needed to control any identified risks, which are proportionate to the threats to individuals’ safety. The process and outcomes are shared with the person and recorded on their personal plan.
Developing and implementing a service delivery plan
The personal plan develops from the whole assessment and is worked out with the full involvement of the person receiving care and, where appropriate, their informal carers. We see the personal plan as a formal agreement to deliver care and support in line with its specifications.
The plan spells out the services we will provide, with details like timings of care worker visits and the special tasks to be performed and states the objectives of the service provision and how we plan to achieve the best outcomes for the individual receiving the care and support.
Reassessing the need and reviewing the care
We recognise that over time your needs can change. A person might need more or less care, the type or pattern of service may have to be varied, and new risks might be apparent. Accordingly, we place considerable importance on the monitoring and reviewing of the personal plan, which is done continuously, but with regular scheduled discussions with the person using the services and others involved in their care and support to take stock of progress and make any changes needed to the personal plan.
Cover and emergency arrangements
1st Care always tries to make sure that people who use its services have as much continuity and consistency of care and support as practically possible. Where it is known that care workers are going to be away, for example, on holiday or if they give in their notice, we inform affected individuals as soon as possible and discuss the alternative cover that we intend to put in place.
We also inform people as soon as possible if their expected carer is suddenly unavailable, for example, having been taken sick and will immediately arrange for someone else to visit. Wherever possible, this will be someone who the person already knows.
Carers who are unavoidably late with a call are expected to make contact with the office or directly with the person using the services so that the latter are kept informed of the reasons for the delay and expected time of arrival. If a carer does not arrive at an expected time without prior information, the person receiving care is asked to inform the office as soon as possible to find out what might have gone wrong and how the situation can be put right.