When we visited Essential Futures in Coventry we spoke with the manager as well as six people receiving the service and six staff. All those people that we spoke with said they were happy with the service they were receiving. We were told: 'I like them and the manager and all my staff are good and I have a good laugh with them.' 'I do my own meals and carers help me out. I make my own drinks.' 'Different carers like to do different things.' People commented that they were included in planning their care and support. One person told us: 'We talk about these (plans of care) mostly when we first get them.' Staff told us that they always involved people in making decisions. One staff member told us: 'We talk with X to ask them what they want to do. They tend to have routines, sometimes day to day, sometimes spontaneous.'
We looked at two sets of care records, staff training records and some of the systems used to measure and develop the quality of care and service provided. We saw that people's care needs and risks associated with their care had been clearly documented. Staff we spoke with had a good knowledge of people's needs and management of risks to keep people safe from harm. Quality records seen demonstrated that people's views were regularly sought to help ensure they remained happy with the service they were receiving.
People told us they felt well supported by the staff team and were aware of the procedure for raising any concerns or complaints. We were told: 'I would talk to the manager or the office, l have the office number.'