Falkirk Care at Home Services receive positive results in test of new inspection approach
The Care Inspectorate has published a report following an inspection of how care at home services are arranged and provided in Falkirk.
Care at home services delivered by Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership have received ‘good’ ratings in a new comprehensive review of care.
Earlier this year, the Care Inspectorate chose Falkirk to test a new inspection approach which combines strategic and regulatory scrutiny. The local authority area is the first in Scotland to be assessed under the inspection process, which uses seven key areas to examine how effectively local care is commissioned and delivered.
The new approach considered the outcomes of 27 recent inspections of regulated care services in Falkirk, while also assessing Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership’s commissioning and governance arrangements.
Between April and September, inspectors reviewed a sample of case files, data about the health of people in the Falkirk area, and evidence from the Partnership about the processes in place to commission and deliver care. This involved discussions, focus groups, and surveys to gather feedback from people receiving care, friends, family members, and local staff.
Overall, the comprehensive inspection engaged with more than 430 people and carers, 570 staff through surveys, 80 frontline staff taking part in focus groups, and sought feedback from 118 other care at home services across Scotland.
The inspection found that almost all (80%+) people receiving care at home were positive about their experience, reporting local care staff treated them with respect and supported them to maintain independence. Family members or friends also valued the support they received while they cared for their loved ones.
The Partnership demonstrated a strong understanding of the local care at home market, working well with independent care companies to offer personalised support in Falkirk.
The involvement of individuals in their own care planning was commended by the Inspectorate, which noted most care plans were person led. This was supported by community resources, including CVS Falkirk’s online directory and the Living Well Falkirk tool which helps people to access local community support and self-manage their health and wellbeing.
Staff were praised for cultivating a professional and respectful culture, which the report said was evident. Staff contribution was highlighted as a key driver of change, with leaders actively valuing and seeking contributions across the system.
Gail Woodcock, Chief Officer, Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Delivering care and support at home involves a wide range of partners. We are proud of the strong links we have with local providers and are pleased this is demonstrated in the positive feedback from residents, loved ones, and staff in the local area.
“All colleagues working to provide care in the community should be extremely proud of these results, which confirm the impact their support has to improve people’s lives every day.”
The report also identified ways in which the Partnership could improve its offering, including helping people to explore all self-directed support options which give people greater choice over the planning of their care, and to consider how the Partnership can accelerate transformational change to meet financial and strategic challenges.
It was recognised that further support was needed to help carers and family members who provide care for their loved ones, with the Inspectorate recommending that carer assessments should be linked to a broader range of support services, including respite options.
The Partnership has already begun work to address these recommendations and will now produce an improvement plan, while the Care Inspectorate will conduct an evaluation of its ‘test of change’ to determine future integrated inspection work.
A full copy of the report can be found on the Care Inspectorate’s website.