Cornerstones Extra Care Scheme

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

The provider did not always use consistent methods to seek feedback from people. People received personalised care and were supported by staff to access to care and treatments from relevant services and professionals in their area. People felt they could raise concerns with staff. The provider complied with the Accessible Information Standard by identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication needs of people with a disability or sensory loss. People were supported by staff to plan for important life events.

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.

People told us staff knew them well, had a good understanding of their individual needs and made sure they were met. People gave examples of how staff had supported them, including contacting hospitals to arrange treatments and communicating with people’s families to keep them informed about changes to their health and wellbeing.

Staff told us handovers and daily meetings were used to communicate changes in people’s needs and updates to their care and support. Staff spent time speaking with people to ensure they knew how to support them effectively and adapt care dependent on their needs and any changes.

People told us staff supported them to access care and treatment in their local area. They told us they were able to access a range of local services which meant they had continuity of care. Staff respected and supported people's choices, religious preferences, health preferences and activities preferences when helping them access services and leisure activities.

Staff told us they took time to listen to people and understand their preferences, needs and cultural and religious backgrounds. The provider offered an activities programme for people as well as ‘wellbeing hours’ where staff could spend time with people supporting their interests and keeping them involved in a community. In this way the provider aimed to support people’s wellbeing and prevent isolation.

Professionals from health, social care and the housing provider gave positive feedback about how the provider supported people to access services and treatments within their local area. This included staff communicating effectively with external professionals to share information about people's needs.

People’s care and support documents evidenced they had access to joined up care from a range of services and professionals from health and social care.

People had access to information in formats they could understand. One person said, “Now and again we get a newsletter to each flat. It has info about what is planned and if we want to come. We’ve had info from the Police and where to contact for more information in the local community in Reading”.

Staff gave us examples of how they adapted communication to meet people’s needs, such as using gestures, images and using adapted or simplified language as needed.

People’s communication needs were explored as part of the assessment process. The nominated individual told us information could be provided in large print, Braille or different languages as needed. The provider complied with the Accessible Information Standard by identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication needs of people with a disability or sensory loss.

People told us they felt listened to by staff. People felt they could raise concerns as and when they felt they needed to be addressed. During our assessment site visit we observed several people come to the office with queries for the registered manager.

Staff told us there were different ways people could feed back about the service or request changes to their care and support. One staff member said, “If they have any problem they can approach us or the office…[manager] always makes sure they can reach them…speak to them so we can change according to their needs”. Another staff member told us, “[We] talk to them...now and again, forms come out. If they can’t do it themselves we sit down with them…ask them in ways they might understand”.

The provider’s records showed complaints were recorded, investigated and responded to in a timely manner. Meeting records showed people’s feedback was recorded and acted upon.

People told us they could access care, support and treatment when they needed it and staff supported them throughout this process. People’s comments included, “I tried to contact the GP, but there was a long waiting list on the phone…the co-ordinator got through for me and she waited in the queue to get me an appointment”, and “Yes they have helped. I couldn’t stand up after I had an accident. They [staff] asked me what would help me to be more mobile and got me a chair that I could raise and rest my foot on”.

The provider told us they ensured all people had access to care, support and treatment when they needed it. Staff gave examples of they supported people to access services and professionals as needed, for example, speech and language therapists to support people with swallowing difficulties.

Healthcare professionals made positive comments about how staff engaged with them to ensure people received care, treatments and support when they needed it.

People’s care plans and support documents contained evidence of referrals to specialist professionals and to healthcare services to enable people to access care and support.

People gave mixed feedback about the provider seeking their views and feedback through questionnaires and surveys. Comments included, “I’ve never had a questionnaire. No interviews for feedback either in 18 months. I’ve never asked for improvements”, “They have not asked in the past”, “No one has asked for feedback by form or by phone call” and “Every now and then we are given surveys with different faces to tick. Not recently though. It was about six months ago. We were asked what weekly activities we wanted”.

Staff told us they worked with people to make sure their voices were heard and their needs met. Staff gave examples of how they advocated for people by observing any changes in their health and wellbeing needs and acting on these promptly.

The provider had processes in place for seeking and acting on feedback. There was evidence people’s feedback had been used to make changes to people’s care and support.

People were supported by staff to make decisions about how and where they wished to receive care and support at the end of their lives. People’s comments included “I have planned things for the future and the agency and my [relative] knows what I would like. I have a social worker and they also know” and “My end of life wishes are in the process of being done. That’s being discussed this afternoon with me”.

Staff took time to explore people’s wishes for care at the end of their lives. They understood and respected people’s preferences to deliver person centred care and support in people’s last days. They also supported people to complete forms and make funeral arrangements with understanding and compassion.

People’s care plans contained detailed information regarding their needs and wishes for care and support at the end of their lives. This included where they wished to be supported, advanced directives detailing preferred care and funeral arrangements.