London Care (Westminster)

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

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs. At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery. People received a personalised service and were able to access any external resources they needed without barriers or delays. People were supported to live their lives as they chose, without discrimination. People knew how to make a complaint if needed. Complaints were listened to and responded to appropriately. Information from complaints, comments or concerns was used to help drive improvement. We did not assess all the quality statements within this key question, as we did not identify concerns relating to those areas which we judged as being met at our last inspection.

This service scored 71 (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 the care and support they received was personal to them. Most people said they had regular care staff, who knew them and their needs very well. One person told us, “Everything is going according to plan. I am getting the help I need, for what I need it for.” A person’s relative told us, “The coordinator for my [relative]’s area, understands the personalities of their clients and carers and matches them accordingly.” Another person’s relative told us, “I was involved and was part of the meeting for the care plan for [relative]. We were easily able to build a care package tailored to [relative]’s needs. They [London Care] asked what [relative] likes as a priority and [relative] said what they wanted. They [London Care] adjusted things, so that what [relative] gets is appropriate for them and the care and support is planned around what they want and feel. It’s tailored.” One person’s representative told us, “I’m extremely happy with [the service]. Moreso, the carer [name] is just a joy for the [people using the service] to be around and they are excellent at their job.” People using the service and their representatives told us that the service was flexible and people’s care packages were adapted, whenever there were any changes in circumstances. A relative of another person told us, “When London Care first took over, it was a little bit disappointing on the times and the different carers. I explained [relative] needed more consistency and more reliable support; it needed to be the same person. They [the management team] listened and now [relative] has that. That was a few years ago.” Another person’s relative said if they had any issues or concerns they contacted the scheduling person first, as they were very good at sorting things out. They added, “[Name] wasn’t happy with too many male carers, [the service] were very good with moving things around. Now it is a lady and gentleman to help with moving around and the lady does the personal care.

The staff and management team told us that people’s care packages were individually tailored to meet the specific needs of each person. Staff said it was beneficial being able to support the same people on a regular basis, as they could get to know people well and have a true understanding of their wants, needs and preferences. Staff consistently told us they worked hard to make sure people received care and support that was centred around them. One member of staff told us, “I always talk to my clients and make sure they are still happy with everything. If anything needs changing, I tell the office and we review the care plan with the client and update it.”

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

All the people we spoke with told us they knew how to make a complaint if needed. People said they felt their complaints were listened to and responded to appropriately. One person told us, “I got in touch with them 3 weeks ago. I phone them and they are helpful.” Another person explained, “They mentioned if I wasn’t happy to let them know. I can talk to the person in charge [name] and, if they weren’t there they would call me back, [name] has been helpful.” People also told us they were regularly asked for feedback about the service. One person told us, “Yes, they have been doing that for several years.” Another person said, “Yes, I have had a couple of questionnaires.”

Staff and the management team told us that listening and responding to people was at the heart of providing person centred care. They said if a complaint was made or a concern was raised, it was taken seriously and investigated and the person raising the issue was kept updated and provided with an outcome. Staff told us they listened to the people they supported and always responded if they raised any concerns. One member of staff told us, “They [management team] listen to service users’ concerns and try to help them solve their problem as quickly as possible, putting the service user first.” Another member of staff said, “I always communicate with my care coordinator. I also complete visit notes and record any concerns.”

The service had effective systems and processes in place to help ensure people knew how to give feedback about their care and support, including how to raise any concerns or issues. There were also processes in place for the staff and management team to learn from complaints and concerns and use them as opportunities for improvement.

We did not look at Equity in access during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

People we spoke with and their relatives told us they felt they were treated fairly and supported in accordance with their individual needs and wishes. Nobody had experienced any discrimination or inequality. People told us the care workers helped them access external resources when they needed them. One person’s relative told us, “[Relative] goes to a day care centre twice a week. [Relative] gets to socialise and meet people out of the house.” A person’s representative told us, “[Name] wears rosary beads around their neck. [Care staff] have brought [name] statues of Our Lady and Jesus Christ, which [name] loves.

Staff and the management team told us they made sure the people they supported were treated fairly and equally and without discrimination. They said people were helped to understand their rights and were listened to if they felt they were being discriminated against in any way. The management team said that people’s feedback and staff awareness helped ensure people were able to live the lives they chose and have their needs met in the way they wanted. Staff gave examples of how they made sure people could access any services, resources or additional support when they needed it. One member of staff told us, “A client was depressed, so I contacted the GP for an appointment for them and they were referred to the mental health team.”

The service had effective processes and systems in place to help ensure people were able to access the resources they needed and live their lives as they chose, without discrimination.

We did not look at Planning for the future during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.