Sefton Hall

‘Care plans contained specialist assessments, for example, a tool to assess possible pain in people who would not be able to communicate this verbally. The care planning system was also able to generate a ‘hospital pack’ that could be printed off in an emergency to go with a person to hospital. Records clearly specified people’s views where known in relation to their wishes in case of a sudden deteriorating in their health.’

‘We saw recorded assessments which demonstrated that a thorough process had taken place. The assessment gathered information about people’s immediate and longer term health needs. The assessment identified what equipment and involvement would be needed to support them, the person’s social needs and degree of family involvement, the person’s likes, dislikes, preferences, wishes and aspirations. All of this information helped to formulate extensive and very relevant care plans. These continued to evolve as some people got more involved in their care planning or staff got to know the person better. The care planning was centred on what the person thought and wanted making them very personalised. Care plans were constantly reviewed and updated and where possible they involved the person themselves. Staff and visiting professionals, therefore, had access to fully up to date information on people’s care and their needs which helped people receive safe and appropriate care.’