Quality Assurance Client Questionnaire

Audit and Action Plan of 2015/16 Service User Quality Assurance Questionnaire.

Bridges Home Care Limited is committed to openness, honesty, and a work ethic of customer satisfaction and care quality. The presence and content of this questionnaire illustrates our corporate and team values.

On the 1st December 2015 100 Service User Questionnaires were sent out to a random selection of our 120 service users.

Between the 4th December 2015 and 5th January 2016 48 Questionnaires were received back. Of these 45 were completed with clients names given, 2 completed anonymous and 1 was returned by named client as they did not wish to complete.

Each question was audited and a full audit is attached to this document including all comments written to every question.

The results below and Action Plans commenced as a result of the answers given.

A copy of this Audit and Action Plan will be distributed to all clients.

Que 1.
Do you feel involved in the decisions that are made regarding your care?

Yes 93.6%
No 2.1%
Not completed 4.3%

Action
The client who answered no will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed

Que 2.
Do you feel your needs are met as requested?

Yes 87.3%
No 0%
Mostly 10.6%
Not completed 2.1%

Action
The clients who answered mostly will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed

Que 3.
Do you feel you are kept informed about the service you are receiving?

Yes 87.3%
No 6.4%
Not sure 2.1%
Mostly 4.3%

Action
The clients who answered No will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed. Clients who answered Not Sure and Mostly will have a care review within 12 weeks.

Que 4.
Does your carer arrive at the time you are expecting ?

Yes 66%
No 8.5%
Not Always 10.6%
Mostly 14.9%

Action
It is acknowledged that historically this is the most challenging aspect of the service that has a direct impact on clients and their lives and daily routine.

Due to many factors such as staff sickness/ holiday, client health changes, traffic problems, vehicle reliability, every day is a different challenge.

It is explained to clients that there should be an allowance of 30 minutes either side of the planned visit to allow for variances. The majority of clients understand and accept this but for others there is little tolerance for even 5 minutes.

For an organisation to manage this is a challenge but we have the following strategies in place to reduce service disruption as much as possible.

  • Travel time included in all staff rotas.
  • Known traffic disruption – planned roadworks are factored into travel time as much as possible.
  • Visits are clustered as much as possible to reduce travel time.
  • Clients who have increasing health needs have their visit times increased. It has to be noted here that for clients who are funded through their Council this increase in time has to be approved before it can be implemented, which can cause delay.
  • Carers trained to notify the on-call person or the office to advise if they are unable to work or running late. This is being reinforced by text, newsletter and staff meetings planned for January ’16 and monitoring of personal performance.
  • Carers are receiving additional training to understand they take ‘ownership’ of their rota of visits and if they are running late, for whatever reason, they contact their next client to advise them.

Que 5.
If not are you informed by the office of the change in time?

Yes 27.8%
No 27.6%
Not always 17%
Not Completed 19.1%
Not Applicable 8.5%

Action
The Action taken is in liaison with the response detailed in Que 4.

On occasion the first the office or on-call know of a carer running late is when the client makes contacts. This should not be the case. The time it takes the carer to ring the office or on-call they could have contacted the client direct.

  • Carers are receiving additional training, reinforced with texts, newsletters and staff meetings on advising clients if their expected visit time is going to change.
  • All carers have up to date client lists.
  • Monitoring of individual staff performance
  • Office to record all calls made to clients advising of change in time. Record to be audited monthly.

Que 6.
Does the carer complete the tasks they are expected to do?

Yes 91.5%
No 0%
Not Always 8.5%

Action
Clients who answered Not Always will have a care review within 12 weeks.

Que 7.
Do you feel the carers have enough time to meet your needs?

Yes 91.5%
No 2.1%
Not Always 6.4%

Action
The client who answered No will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed. Clients who answered Not Always will have a care review within 12 weeks.

Que 8.
Are the carers well presented?

Yes 91.4%
No 0%
Mostly 8.5%

Action
Presentation and staff uniform Policy & Procedures covered in Induction Training. Staff Spot checks will be increased from January ’16 following the appointment of two new Care Managers and one Team Leader in January 2016.

Que 9.
Do you feel the carers are well trained?

Yes 78.8%
No 2.1%
Mostly 17%
Not completed 2.1%

Action
The introduction and implementation of the Care Certificate in late 2015 will support carers in the first 12 weeks of their employment. Following the one week classroom based Induction staff receive at least 3 days shadowing an experienced carer. During the first 12 weeks carers are mentored and observed by experienced staff to ensure they can demonstrate understanding and skills proficiency. Some of the ‘Mostly’ comments related to specific health needs requiring specialist training, these will be addressed with the clients individually.

Que 10.
Do you feel your privacy and dignity is respected when assistance is given?

Yes 97.8%
No 0%
Not Always 2.1%

Action
The client who answered Not Always will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed.

Que 11.
If you contact the office is your call answered promptly and with courtesy?

Yes 87.2%
No 0%
Not called 6.38%
Not Always 2.1%

Action
The client who answered Not Always will be offered a review of care regardless of when previous one was completed.

Que 12.
Is the person in the office familiar with your care and able to answer your queries?

Yes 87.3%
No 0%
Not Applicable 10.6%
Not Completed 2.1%

Action
None Required

Que 13.
If you are told we will ring you back do we?

Yes 53.2%
No 2.1%
Mostly 10.6%
Not Always 6.3%
Not Applicable 27.8%

Action
All telephones calls to the office are logged where a response is required. A record will be kept of the ring back and contact made. To be audited daily to ensure all ring backs are made.

Que 14.
Have you ever had cause to use the Complaints Procedure?

Yes 21.3%
No 78.7%

If so was your complaint handled promptly and was the outcome acceptable?

Yes 100%
No 0%

Action
None required

Que 15.
Do you know where to find our written Complaints Procedure?

Yes 46.8%
No 51.2%

Action
The written Complaints Procedure is included within the Service User Guide, which is located in the Client Record Folder.

Training will be given to the Care Managers and Team Leaders to ensure they go through the Service User Guide with new clients and make them aware of the information contained therein.

The Service User Guide and content will be drawn to the attention of existing clients during their next planned care review.

Que 16.
Have you received a copy of our Service User Guide?

Yes 63.8%
No 23.4%
Probably 4.3%
Not Sure 8.5%

Action
All Client Record Folders contain a copy of the Service User Guide.

Training will be given to the Care Managers and Team Leaders to ensure they go through the Service User Guide with new clients and make them aware of the information contained therein.

The Service User Guide and content will be drawn to the attention of existing clients during their next planned care review.

Que 17.
Did you find the information easy to read and understand?

Yes 63.9%
No 0%
Not completed 34%
Can’t remember 2.1%

Action
All those who had read the information did find it easy to read and understand. No further action required on content display at present.

Que 18.
Have you had reason to access the on-call emergency service line?

Yes 27.9%
No 68%
Can’t remember 4.1%

Was the called handled efficiently?

Yes 100%
No 0%

Que 19
What does the team at Bridges do well?

I get various carers, but no bother they all do as required
Everything
We have been greatly impressed by the professionalism, technical ability, kindness and cheerfulness and interest in us of all the carers who have attended to our needs.
Look after me
Some of the carers provide outstanding client centred care
Everything
Very caring and considerate
Mainly works very effectively but not so good at recruiting new staff and training enough staff at specialist tasks
Carers and office staff are friendly and helpful. Carers appear to have had good training or previous experience of caring. The standards of all staff are much better than other care providers we have used in the past for dementia care and broken leg, shoulder.
Shower well, polite and do a good job
The team carries out duties well as required. They are very pleasant and polite. Doing a very hard job over a very long day.
Always courteous and do what they are supposed to do
Good care and communications
the team are very pleasant and cheerful to approach. I cannot thank them enough for the support and indeed their caring manner they give to my mother on a daily basis. It is such a relief on my part knowing she is being cared for by such wonderful carers and for this I thank you all.
All the carer's are good at what they do and the support they give us as a family, allowing Mum to stay in her home.
Looking after well
They are always very polite, helpful, understanding and patient. An excellent service
Always being very kind
Clean my stoma area, friendly
Provide great company
They are very friendly, good at their job and most of all they care
To serve my requirements
Yes, very well.
I have found the team that I deal with very friendly and caring and know their job
Do well sometimes.
Look to --- needs and deal with it
Friendly, reliable, diligent. Committed to providing a good service, all seem aware of the task involved
They are friendly, reliable, professional, efficient and considerate
Take care of my Mother well
Cheerful and kind
Do intelligent care and a happy attitude
Everything
The carers in the main are caring and helpful in their attitude. The office have been helpful in accommodating special requests e.g. making the morning call early each day and making the Sunday lunch calls later so --- can go to Church.
Talk to me
Answer phone promptly, polite. Most of the carers are cheerful and happy.
Most things
Everything very well
Most of the carers are very pleasant and cheerful and obliging and helpful. Odd ones icy and depressing
Everything
They are always cheerful and friendly, doing a difficult job with the best possible attitudes
xxx thinks they are friendly and provides a good level of care
Que 20.
Would you be interested in joining our staff recruitment panel?

Yes 19.1%
No 74.6%
Not completed 4.2%
Maybe 2.1%

Action
All clients/ family members who expressed an interest will be contacted directly

Que 21.
Any other comments?

Sometimes the carers are a bit late owing to sickness etc: but at least they do arrive
Wrong emergency contact telephone number in file - Berkshire number instead of Oxfordshire number
Better communications between office / carer/ service user. Carer arriving and leaving when rota states
No other comments. The questionnaire proves that Bridges care about their quality of service
Happy with the service. We appreciate all that you do forÉ..
No, but lately timings have been a bit haywire
Continuity of carers is preferable so they know and understand clientsÕ needs and routine. Also less travelling time would enable them to spend the correct amount of time meeting these needs.
A first class service
You provide a quality service of which we are more than satisfied
It would be nice if it was the same carer's most of the time
None
We are very happy and confident with the service.
Keep time and inform me of any delays as I usually have other things I have to do.
At this time I am very happy with the service you provide. Thank you
I would appreciate knowing well in advance which carer will be assisting me and what time they will arrive approx. A weekly sheet giving these details would be an advantage.
You are all doing a very good job, as a family we would not ask for a better team.
We are very happy with the service provided
Do you provide Focus groups for your carers- where they can meet each other, support and exchange ideas and best practice?
In the main we are very pleased with the service, thank you. However it is sometimes frustrating that the carers don't always read notes left by family members e.g. requesting for washing to be done. They also sometimes don't read the meal plan properly and give the wrong days meal or wrong food, which can result in some food being wasted as it goes off and food on the plan being unavailable on later days. However most of the time they follow the plan and it works well!
Thank you to the carers for all their help and support.
Food care / dietary issues not apparent
Ensure the washing up is met correctly & draining boards & sinks left clean (how they would do so in their own home)
I feel it would help the carers themselves if the rotas were not changed so frequently and often abruptly
I think the service provided is already excellent and can't think of any obvious improvements